Hello!
Welcome to my listening notes for CXLOE’s debut album, Shiny New
Thing. As an independent artist, this record has been a long time
coming for CXLOE, and as a fan who’s followed her since 2017, I’ve
proudly shared in that anticipation.
It’s always special to recall those moments of instant connection
with an artist or song, and I vividly remember my introduction to the

Sydney singer songwriter seven years ago. I was sitting on my ex-
boyfriend’s bed one random spring night when he burst through the

door, excitedly telling me he’d just heard Linda Marigliano spin this
incredible song on Good Nights—one that he was sure I’d love. We
took to the trusty @triplejplays twitter account to find “CXLOE - Tough
Love”, before further investigating the triple j Unearthed website where
the song was available for play and download. I was instantly hooked
by the slick, brooding production and the raw attitude in CXLOE’s
delivery. A striking contrast of darkness and anthemic energy, the kind
you’d expect from pop heavyweights like BANKS and Tove Lo — an
impressive feat for a debut single.

I made a note to play the song during my next mid-dawn shift, and six
months later, I found myself at the helm of the very program where I
first heard CXLOE, premiering her song ‘Monster.’ Two months after
that, in May 2018, I saw her live at Oxford Art Factory and was stoked
to witness how well her talent translated on stage. It was a privilege

to continue premiering a number of her songs, right up to ‘Until The
Wheels Fall Off’ during my final week on triple j in December 2022.
It probably won’t shock anyone to hear that Shiny New Thing is my
favorite Australian album of the year. The record feels like the perfect
culmination of everything I’ve loved about CXLOE’s sound over the
past seven years. It’s a cohesive, consistent collection of songs that
stay true to her artistry, while also conveying a clear intention to
experiment. Some of the most exciting moments come in the form of
the immersive introduction to opening track ‘Half Of Me,’ a song she’s
held on to for five (!!) years, the minimalist ‘Bad Taste,’ the addictive
bass-led “Shapeshifter” and the scattered, glitched-out nature of ‘No
Service,’ which any fan of PinkPantheress would warm to.

Beyond the soundscapes, the lyrical themes resonate deeply with
me as a thirty-something female creative navigating her place in
the world. From the pressures of maintaining an exterior aesthetic in
the title track to the closer, ‘Chloe Enough,’ where CXLOE steps out
of her artist persona and candidly expresses her innermost doubts
as Chloe—the person—who has struggled with the cut-throat and
disposable nature of the music industry. These considered and
relatable reflections reinforce a comment I made on air back in 2020,

when I described CXLOE’s sound as ‘purposeful pop.’ Through this full-
length release, she continues to embody that conviction.

The release of Shiny New Thing reflects a greater triumph for Australian
pop, where the genre has gained broader acceptance, particularly
through a more alternative lens. CXLOE’s early pursuits came at an
awkward time for pop music in Australia. While commercial radio
favored local artists like Ricki-Lee, Jessica Mauboy, and Samantha
Jade, it’s fair to say they were never particularly interested in breaking
new, independent talent. At the time, I felt CXLOE’s music wasn’t
“glossy” enough for what commercial radio was playing. But whenever
I played any pop-leaning songs on my show, I often received text
messages along the lines of ‘Get this pop trash off JJJ’ or ‘What is
Triple J doing playing this commercial shit?’.

It’s not at all about placing any blame on triple j, but rather observing
how Australian pop has been viewed across the board. As important
as triple j has been — and continues to be — in representing Australian
music and championing diverse genres, its longstanding definition of
‘alternative’ has, perhaps unintentionally, contributed to pop being
viewed as a ‘dirty word’ or a ‘guilty pleasure’ rather than a legitimate
genre in its own right. This perception is one that artists like CXLOE
have had to navigate, constantly questioning where they fit within the
landscape, but continuing to push forward despite the resistance.
At the heart of Shiny New Thing lies a broader question: What exactly
is pop music? For CXLOE, this is not just a rhetorical question, but a
personal journey. In crafting this album, she reconciles with her identity
as an artist, acknowledging the frustrations of a fast-paced, male
dominated industry and a genre often caught in the tension between
mass appeal and artistic reinvention. Yet, in that tension, she also
discovers the beauty of pop’s capacity for transformation, embracing
the idea that artists can be multifaceted and ever-evolving, without
compromising their authenticity in the pursuit of becoming the next
‘shiny new thing’.

Not just a record, CXLOE’s debut full-length is a statement and
reflection of evolution, for her own artistry and for Australian pop as a
whole. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Essay by Bridget Hustwaite

BRIDGET HUSTWAITE’S JOURNEY IN MUSIC BEGAN IN 2012, WRITING FOR THE AU REVIEW AND HOSTING MELBOURNE’S LIVE MUSIC SHOW 1700 ON SYN. SHE WENT ON TO HOST AND PRODUCE THE HOIST, SYN’S FLAGSHIP AUSTRALIAN MUSIC PROGRAM, BEFORE JOINING TRIPLE J, WHERE SHE BECAME THE BELOVED HOST OF GOOD NIGHTS, CHAMPIONING NEW MUSIC AND EMERGING ARTISTS. A RESPECTED VOICE IN THE INDUSTRY, BRIDGET HAS JUDGED MAJOR MUSIC AWARDS, HOSTED FESTIVALS LIKE SPILT MILK AND ST. KILDA FESTIVAL, AND CONTINUES TO SPOTLIGHT MUSIC THROUGH HER PODCAST FIGURING OUT 30.

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