Julez and the Rollerz – “Phaser”
Photo by Zach Adams
Barreling out of Los Angeles, indie rockers Julez and the Rollerz arrive on the blog with “Phaser,” the final single from their forthcoming LP Dirty Little Rock ’N’ Roller.
“Phaser” opens in a haze of fuzzy guitar layered over a sizzling ’80s-flavored synth. The vibe is immediately familiar, like popping the cap off a time capsule and catching the fumes of your energetic youth and the reckless glow of late nights that felt infinite—when everything was loud, bright, and just slightly out of control in the best possible way.
From there, the rhythm section bursts through the door, with tambourine propelling the drums and bass into a chaotic sense of nostalgic intensity that begs to be experienced live. Lead vocalist Julez Batterman arrives with a performance that is part Bananarama, part illuminati hotties, permeating an infectious confidence that ties the chaos together.
Batterman adds: “‘Phaser’ is about the weird feeling of being an artist and accidentally turning your entire existence into a performance. Whether you’re on stage, posting online, talking to people after shows, or awkwardly networking somewhere, there’s this pressure to always be ‘on’ and entertaining enough to keep people paying attention. We’re a band of mostly woman-presenting individuals, and we’ve also been navigating the music industry while figuring out how to balance how we’re perceived visually with the fact that the focus is, and always has been, our music. As mentioned in the song, sex appeal is only ‘half’ of the thrill!”