Big Orange return with existential rock epic 'Trephine'
- Veronica Zurzolo
- Jun 20
- 2 min read
Photo by Tashi Hall
Big Orange are set to release their bold and brooding new single, Trephine, a metaphysical plunge into the fractured mind, exploring the unsettling terrain of mental illness through raw lyricism and evocative soundscapes - out June 20.
“I wrote this song while watching someone go through a psychotic break at a time when my mind was also far from stable,” shares songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Davis. “It deals with the topic of the strange and seemingly otherworld-like realm of mental illness and insanity. A metaphysical exploration into the abyss of madness. Describing this song is as difficult as understanding mental illness itself.”
Built on Davis’ commanding vocal performance, piano, and guitar work, Trephine layers tension and vulnerability in equal measure, shaped by the production finesse of Dave Parkin, with haunting backing vocals from Tom and Charlie Parkin, and final mastering by Brian Lucey (Magic Garden Mastering). The result is a song as expansive as it is intimate, echoing innovative artists like Alex Turner, David Bowie, and Alex Cameron, figures known for pushing creative boundaries with elegance and grit.
Having earned critical acclaim and widespread support across US College Radio (including a #1 on WUTK FM), IndieXL (Netherlands), Radio RaBe (Switzerland), Radio Wigwam (UK), and national broadcasters like Triple J, Double J, RTRFM, FBi, 4ZZZ, 3RRR and 2SER, Big Orange continues to carve a distinct voice in Australia’s pop-rock landscape. The project has landed on Bandcamp’s New and Notable, received WAM Award nominations, and featured in theMusic’s 'Top 25 Artists to Watch'.
Trephine is the latest taste of the band's forthcoming 10-track LP The Perils of Desire, due for release in the second half of 2025. The album will be released through Blue Grey Pink, the two-time West Australian Music (WAM) Label of the Year, and promises to further showcase Davis’ existential songwriting lens, pairing emotional depth with dynamic, genre-spanning instrumentation.
With lyrical themes that mine the depths of existentialism, mortality, and misanthropy, juxtaposed with surreal moments of light, Trephine further cements Big Orange as one of Australia's most fearless sonic storytellers.
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