SoundBites: Lontalius, The Renderers, The Cure

Lontalius is set to release his debut album. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Following in the downbeat electro-pop footsteps of Lorde and Troye Sivan is Wellington teenager Lontalius, aka Eddie Johnston, who is set to release a beautiful debut album in I'll Forget 17.

Johnston made a name for himself with poignant pop covers on YouTube and Soundcloud, but with this 10-track release he's stepping out on his own.

He explores similar themes to Sivan in particular, including teen love and yearning, reflecting the melancholy approach he took to covers.

As publicity for the album notes, listening to I'll Forget 17 is like stumbling across a teenager's Tumblr page, where the jumble of feelings and emotions in their full array is on display.

Johnston has worked with DJ/producer Ryan Hemsworth on the Canadian's track Walk Me Home.

Hemsworth also helped spread the rumour Johnston was a classmate of Lorde (not true btw, but she played along on Twitter).

The album is released on March 25. Lontalius will release a new track from the album each week leading up to release via lontalius.com.

Lead single Glow is, says Johnston, "about feeling like you should have negative feelings for an ex but realising they were actually all right. People are beautiful and relationships are too. I just wanted to write a pop song."

Meanwhile, Johnston's alter ego Race Banyon has released the track What Are We Doing featuring Ty Dolla $ign for Red Bull Sound Select.

The Renderers are back, releasing their ninth album this week.

The former Christchurch pair, who moved to Joshua Tree, California, after the earthquakes of five years ago, released their debut album Trail of Tears on Flying Nun in 1990, including the haunting student radio fave Bigger Than Texas.

In The Sodium Light is out this Friday on Ba Da Bing.

Revisit a classic
Every now and then a record comes along that seems greater than the sum of its parts. For many a teenager in the mid-80s, the Cure's Standing On A Beach was one such album.

From its opening track, which has since taken on new meaning (Killing An Arab), to the catchy jangle of Boys Don't Cry, the fun romp The Love Cats and the quiet yet jazzy Close To Me, the album sums up nicely the first decade of a band who looked on the bright side of emo/gothdom and hadn't yet sunk to the lows of Friday, I'm In Love.

Best moment? The bassline introducing A Forest. Turn it up.