"officially a must-see" David Ruby Howe - Triple j

After a turbulent start to 2012, Sydney-based folk/indie-pop trio SET SAIL are ready to once again make their mark on the Australian music scene kicking off a mammoth 18-date tour of the country this week parading a new collection of heartfelt rhythms in the form of their new four-track EP titled “Hey!”.

“Hey!” features four formidable, yet quirky offerings and demonstrates its collective conscious in the spirited lead track Charlestown, a song about California summers and roaring twenties dancing. The band, today, release the second single titled “Who Are You” ahead of the EP release this Friday June 29, which has been delayed from the original June 15 release date due to unforeseen production delays.

“Hey!” is the band’s first new material since their debut offering, 2011s “The Riley Moore” EP which notched over 14,000 sales… not bad for three guys who started their musical journey busking on streets corners, playing for anyone willing to stop for a listen and a dance.

Forming in November 2010, Brandon, Josh and Josiah were university dropouts with one ambitious idea of making music to fund a trip around the world. The far-fetched idea became a reality in 2011 when the trio set off on their “World Stage” Tour, performing in 40 cities across four continents and earning the band the reputation as “one of the most amazing live acts.”

SET SAIL made national headlines earlier in the year when lead singer Brandon Hoogenboom was literally forced to “Set Sail” after being deported by Australian authorities for breaching his visa conditions. A Facebook petition that went viral attracting over 8,500 signatures of support within a day of its creation helped bring Brandon back to Australia and has allowed the band to continue creating the music and causing the ruckus that made them so popular.

With their singer back on Australian soil, SET SAIL went on to record a stellar follow up release and are jumping at the chance to get back on the road and unleash “Hey!” onto their Australian fans. The band has promised a performance true to their trademark form, showcasing their infectious and energetic live performance in venues all across the Great Southern Land.

“We're excited to bring the new material live,” says Josiah Willows. “It's been an incredible journey this past year and we're very keen to get out of the studio and back on the road!”

The trio continue to be celebrated for their guerilla-style performances which has seen them arrested in Madrid for street busking, playing to a crowd of thousands in their under-jocks in London and performing 30,000 feet above sea level on a Virgin Atlantic flight across the Tasman Sea. It’s all just another day in the life of SET SAIL.

You can be assured that Set Sail will be launching “HEY” true to their trademark form, showcasing their infectious, energetic and unpredictable live performance for the duration of their tour. Sail on down to a performance and see the band Triple J describe as projecting “a real joyous energy”.