Real Goblin

In the summer of 2025, a few singles popped up on my radar from a band I hadn’t yet heard of. “NEW AGE” was the first of these tracks. It was like the movie Speed in song form. “NEW AGE” is a ticking time bomb attached to a bus, weaving in and out of traffic – but with breaks for more tender moments amidst the chaos ala Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. I think. I’ve never actually seen Speed.

This is a long winded way of saying that Sleepazoid, an Australian alt-rock group formed in 2023, is one to watch as we roll into 2026 and onto their second EP. The band, though young, struck me as one with a confidence in their sound and identity. No growing pains, no soul-searching, no fine tuning needed.

I was able to ask Sleepazoid guitarist Jim Duong some questions ahead of a big year for the band.

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Real Goblin: How long have you known each other, when did you meet, and when did you become a band?

Jim: We are Sleepazoid, an alternative quintet from Naarm, Australia and we’ve known each other for a few years now. Nette sings and plays guitar, Joe plays the bigger guitar, George plays guitar, Luca plays the drums and I’m Jim, I play guitar as well. We met as a group on the 3rd of December 2023 which is the day I visited George & Luca’s old studio (RIP P. Squeak) to try out for the band.

Real Goblin: I can thank my YouTube algorithm for finding you guys. The music video for “New Age” was my first impression of Sleepazoid and I was thrilled to find you. I can hear some elements of different genres and inspirations in your sound. What did you find yourselves listening to the most during the creation of New Age?

Jim: We want to give roses to Nikola Jokanovic & Joshua Nai who respectively helped shoot and light the music videos for EP 2, they’re both so talented and we’re so grateful to be a part of their journey. We all listen to a broad range of music but for this period I hear a lot of Fontaines D.C, Slow Pulp & Mannequin Pussy. During the first 2 EP’s I found myself revisiting guitar bands I grew up listening to like At the Drive In, The Mars Volta, The Smashing Pumpkins & Radiohead.

Real Goblin: What song are you most excited for people to hear from the new EP?

Jim: The last song on the EP, it’s called ‘It’s Fine’ and it’s a moody slowburn. Nette is an amazing songwriter, and I love her lyricism on this track, I get a big sense of being defeated after listening to it. Recording it was fun too – George and I had our pedal boards linked up to make the big noises throughout the verses.

Real Goblin: How does a song start for you? Is it largely collaborative? Lyrics first? Instrumentals? What’s the process?

Jim: Nette will come in with some chords and lyrics or we’ll jam and try to catch ideas that way. Once we have the idea it’s a matter of jamming the sections until they start to feel cohesive. It’s usually lunch after that.

Real Goblin: What have you found the reception to be like from the singles so far? Has anything about it surprised you?

Jim: The reception has been amazing and incredibly humbling – none of us knew what to expect when we were writing and recording these songs. The most surprising thing is seeing it connect with people outside of Australia, it’s been so cool to see people from different parts of the world enjoying our music.

Real Goblin: You’ll probably hate this question, because you’ve clearly poured a lot of yourselves into the EP, but what’s next for the band?

Jim: We’re currently writing and doing demos for our next body of work. In 2026, we’re getting straight back into shows with supports for Fcukers and DZ Deathrays. I’ve heard we’re going to Europe too?

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Sleepazoid’s upcoming EP, New Age, drops on February 5th.