Royel Otis: Hickey Vinyl (indie exclusive, soda pop)

Why you'll love it

The indie exclusive soda pop bottle pressing of the Australian duo's second album. Thirteen bright, scrappy guitar-pop songs, with "Moody," "Car" and "Who's Your Boyfriend" among the highlights.

This edition

Indie exclusive
Soda pop bottle coloured vinyl
Capitol / Ourness pressing
Thirteen tracks over two sides

About the album

Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic met in Sydney and started making music together almost by accident, and within a few years their sunny, jangly guitar pop had won over fans around the world. Their cover of "Linger" for Triple J's Like a Version went everywhere, their debut Pratts & Pain made good on the hype, and Hickey, their second album, arrived in August 2025 sounding looser, cheekier and more confident. Their harmonies are the secret ingredient, two voices that sound like they grew up finishing each other's sentences.

"Moody" has a hook that refuses to leave your head, "Car" and "Who's Your Boyfriend" are full of grin-inducing guitar lines, "Torn Jeans" and "Say Something" show off their softer side, and "She's Got a Gun" adds a little bite. "Jazz Burger" closes things on a deliberately silly note, in case you thought they were taking themselves too seriously. It is the sound of two mates having a very good time in the studio, and it is very easy to join in. Fair warning: the title track does not exist, so there is no point skipping ahead to it.