Australian power-pop outfit The Summertimes have officially joined the Golden Robot Records family, signaling a bright new chapter for one of the country’s most quietly devastating songwriting ensembles. The label announced the signing on 24 April 2026, pairing it with a re-release of the band’s celebrated back catalogue and news of a brand new EP dropping later in 2026.

Fronted by songwriting duo David Beniuk and David Challenger, The Summertimes first hit critical paydirt with their 2023 self-titled debut LP — a jangly, sun-soaked record that managed to feel both unmistakably Australian and universally hook-laden. The album was recorded with a genuine dream team: drummer Stephen O’Brien (Tumbleweed), bassist Steve Bull (ICEHOUSE), keyboardist Marco Forlano (The Mustard), and guitarist Ashley Naylor (EVEN, The Church, Paul Kelly), with five-time ARIA Award-winning producer Paul McKercher manning the desk. Yes, that’s a lineup that reads like a Who’s-Who of Australian rock credits, and no, the album doesn’t squander a single one of them.

The debut resonated well beyond Australian shores. It picked up airplay on Little Steven’s Underground Garage and WFMU, and — in a flex most indie bands can only dream of — was added to Cathay Pacific’s in-flight entertainment across its global network. New York critic Aaron Kupferberg called it “flawless” and crowned it his #1 album of 2023. Backseat Mafia handed it a 9.2/10, hailing it as “perfectly formed pop brilliance.” UK tastemakers Shindig! Magazine went as far as to call it “guitar pop gold… a future classic,” while The Guardian Australia singled out its “old-fashioned power pop” charm and its “deserved inroads on American radio.”

End-of-year lists followed suit: #1 album of 2023 at Power Popaholic (USA), a Top 10 slot in the UK’s Real Gone Magazine, and a spot among Power Pop News New York’s top tracks of the year for the single ‘Password’.

For the forthcoming EP, the band will reconvene with Bull, Forlano, Naylor, O’Brien, and McKercher at Sydney’s iconic Rancom St Studios — which, if the debut is any indication, should yield another batch of melodically airtight earworms.

Golden Robot Records summed it up neatly: “The Summertimes are the real deal — timeless songwriting, world-class musicianship, and a sound that resonates across generations.”

Translation for the rest of us: if you like guitars that chime, harmonies that stick, and songs that feel like a breeze off the Tasman, now’s the time to get on board. Stream The Summertimes’ self-titled debut on Spotify and get acquainted before the new EP lands.