Embedded Files
There’s a looseness to NO CIGAR’s new single ‘Clean’ that feels intentional. Not slack, just unbothered. It’s the sound of a band that knows what they’re doing — and doesn’t need to overplay it.
With ‘Clean’, the Auckland five-piece ease into a more subdued pocket. The guitars are hazy, the vocal line rides the groove without forcing it, and the hooks take their time to settle in. It’s not trying to be the standout track — and somehow that makes it stand out.
Lyrically, it circles around restraint, hedonism, and the blurry in-between. “We tread the line between what’s right and wrong,” says Arthur Gillies — and the track holds that tension quietly. It never explodes, never resolves, just stays suspended in the grey. That’s the appeal.
The track rounds out the lead-up to UNDER THE SURFACE, the band’s third album, due July 30. With earlier singles like ‘Problem’ and ‘Best Behaviour’, there’s a through-line emerging: still laidback, still hooky, but with more weight sitting underneath. Less front-footed, more considered.
NO CIGAR are also heading out on a short run of New Zealand dates this November, following a stretch through Australia. After a strong run overseas earlier this year, these shows will likely feel sharper, tighter — but still grounded in the same offhand charm that’s gotten them this far.
Wellington – Meow Nui, Nov 7
Christchurch – Ngaio Marsh Theatre, Nov 8
Auckland – Powerstation, Nov 14
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