Crocodylus – Muscle Memory NM/NM

Muscle Memory, the debut full-length album from Sydney’s Northern Beaches trio Crocodylus, is a genre-hopping, high-voltage testament to resilience and reinvention. Released in November 2022, the album emerged from the creative fog of pandemic-era lockdowns, its title a nod to the instinctive drive to rebuild live music culture after years of disruption. What results is a 14-track journey that fuses indie rock, garage punk, and psychedelic flourishes into a cohesive, electrifying whole.

Opening with “Can’t Understand,” the album wastes no time establishing its kinetic energy—bright guitar riffs, punchy drums, and Josh Williams’ unmistakable vocals set the tone for a record that’s as suited to sweaty gigs as it is to sun-drenched road trips. Tracks like “YOU” and “Make Believing” evoke a nostalgic warmth, their catchy choruses and jangly guitars reminiscent of beachside adolescence and youthful abandon.

But Muscle Memory isn’t content to stay in one lane. Midway through, the album veers into psych-rock territory with “Person Suit” and “Levitating Man,” channeling the cosmic chaos of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. “Home Invasion” and “Skeletoniser” bring a darker, more frenetic edge, while the acoustic “Untitled” and the closing pair—“House on the Hill” and the title track—offer a reflective comedown, grounding the album’s wild swings in emotional sincerity.