FAISAL RYAN | INTERVIEW + TRACK REVIEW

There’s something immediate and restless about Faisal Ryan’s latest track — a song that lives in the space between late-night reflection and full-volume release. Sparked by a moment of quiet observation at Howard Smith Wharves and shaped on a train ride through Brisbane after a gig, it captures that uneasy divide between perception and reality, where people either play the part or get caught in it. Drawing subtle influence from Pavement and channeling the unpredictable energy of Weezer, Queens of the Stone Age and Pixies, the track blends groove with grit, delivering something that feels both nostalgic and confrontational. We caught up with Faisal Ryan to break down the moment it all began, the ideas behind the lyrics, and the reality of coming up through Brisbane’s ever-evolving music scene. This is a paid collaboration with Faisal Ryan.

TRACK REVIEW - BLUE HANDS

“Blue Hands” kicks in with a garage snare that doesn’t ease you in — it hits you straight in the face like a wake-up call, setting the tone immediately. From there, the track leans into a tight call-and-response that keeps everything moving, giving it this restless energy that never really lets you settle. It’s one of those songs that feels like it knows exactly what it’s doing — the structure is deliberate, the pacing is sharp, and every section feels placed with purpose. You can hear the progression in Faisal’s songwriting too; if you’ve been across his earlier stuff, this feels more refined, more confident, and more aware of how to hold attention without overcomplicating things.

The vocals carry a strong sense of angst, but it’s controlled in a way that works — not overblown, just enough to cut through and sit in the pocket of the track. Those small breaks throughout do a lot of heavy lifting, giving the song space to breathe before it pulls you back in again, and stopping it from ever feeling one-note. The backing vocals are a real standout as well, adding texture and lifting key moments rather than just sitting underneath. Overall, “Blue Hands” feels like a step forward — not just bigger, but more intentional, with a clear identity and a sound that’s starting to lock in properly.

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Faisal Ryan Press Photo

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Your new song feels like it lives somewhere between late-night reflection and full-volume chaos. What was the exact moment or feeling that sparked the first idea for it?

I was listening to 'Cut Your Hair' by Pavement when I was just finishing my shift at Howard Smith Wharves, and I saw the type of clientele there. It was clear that there was a divide: one type that expected a certain lifestyle, and the other that was expected to make that happen.

If someone pressed play on this track while driving alone at night, what do you hope they realise about their own life by the time the song ends?

People are doing the best with the hand they're given, while others pretend to be; it’s all captured in the first line, “hey wolf wear the sheep skin.”

A lot of your influences - Weezer, QOTSA, Pixies- balance melody with unpredictability. When you were writing this song, did you consciously try to break any “rules” of songwriting?

I wrote about both sides of the gender fence, not just one person. I wanted to capture feelings most people experience: you're either one of the lucky ones or not. Musically, I played with a more percussive songwriting style, letting the music mimic the vocals. Maybe that’s why it sounds more distinct than my other songs.

Your music captures that restless Australian energy, the sense that something bigger might be waiting just outside the city. Where were you physically and mentally when this song came together?

I was at Fortitude Valley train station after finishing a gig with my old band, THE STRIPS. I thought I needed better material for our performances. On the train ride to a mate's place, I started putting the song together in my head. I didn't have the name yet, but I had the arrangement by the time we got to our stop.

As a DIY artist coming out of Brisbane’s scene, what’s something people outside the city probably misunderstand about the music culture there?

They usually label it as a retro grunge thing, like it’s always 1991 and never mind, just came out, but there's more to Brisbane than that. There's a vibrant metal and punk scene, along with a new wave resurgence. I would say Brisbane's music scene is a show-don’t-tell type.

There’s a strong emotional honesty in your lyrics. Do you write songs to understand your own experiences, or do you already know the message before the music appears?

It’s usually a bit of both. I’m writing about experiences that have just happened to me, but I use other experiences as references. The honesty I can’t help because I grew up with lyricists like Leonard Cohen, Paul Kelly, Noel Gallagher, and Joe Strummer, and they weren’t the kind to mince words.

If this track were a location rather than a song, a bar, a street corner, a beach at 3am... where would it exist?

The first place I ever performed this song was at TomCat in Fortitude Valley, my old band THESTRIPS had a headline spot on a thursday which attracted as many people as you’d expect anyways. It would be 11pm at tomcat on a thursday night.

Your sound mixes groove and grit in a way that feels very physical. Do you imagine the live crowd while writing, or does that energy come later?

It comes naturally; if the song doesn't energize me, then it won’t happen when I present it to the band or play it up on stage, so it always has to start when I’m writing and arranging.

In a world where people scroll past music quickly, what do you think makes someone stop, listen, and actually feel a song like this?

It must be the energy and the assault of the song from the start, then I would probably say the vocals and lyrics. It sounds nostalgic and fresh, so it appeals to most audiences.

For someone discovering Faisal Ryan for the first time through this track, what song of yours should they play next, and why?

I think a punkier turn would be ACT YOUR WAGE, it’s more sneering and straightforward, but if you want more of the same, then try Selling Marilyn, it’s a tad poppier but still has a grit to it.