Interview with Media Puzzle ahead of their New Album ‘New Racehorse’ out this Friday April 17th

Bundjalung Country (Lismore) has a way of forging bands that are rough-edged, big-hearted, and relentlessly resourceful, and media puzzle fits that mold perfectly. Fronted by Tom Peter and backed by Kellie Eden, Eden Yeigh, Oliver Clarke, and Solomon Jones, the group wrangles chaos into punchy, two-minute anthems that feel like shouting into a tin can just to hear the echo.

Born in a dorm room and named after a Melbourne Cup winner, the project is a sonic speedrun through egg punk and post-ironic sincerity. Their songs are short, silly, and deceptively sharp—resembling children’s music written by chain-smokers obsessed with climate collapse. With a "demo-is-the-final-mix" philosophy and influences ranging from Devo to Tee Vee Repairmann, media puzzle builds songs like a backyard cubby house made of found materials: it’s scrappy, impulsive, and somehow holds together perfectly.

With the recent singles "Knowledge" and "More Horse Less Code" feel like a shift toward "chorus-rinsed" guitars and jangle-pop textures. Was there a specific moment or a new piece of gear that triggered this move away from the scuzzy distortion of Jockey?

There was a lot of experimentation between Jockey and this newest release. After putting out the most recent EP ‘Intermission’, I decided to run my bass through my Roland JC40 Guitar Amp on a whim, and switched on the chorus and distortion. I just blobbed the Knowledge bass line straight into my computer from the amp, and that was that! I went deep down the chorus rabbit hole after that, which is maybe what triggered the rest of the album to be so jangly.

Pitchfork recently described your sound on Intermission as a mix of Suicide’s dark melodies and Uranium Club’s eccentricity. Do you feel at home in the "egg-punk weirdo" category, or are you trying to outrun that label with these new releases?

Certainly a mega compliment! I was very chuffed to have had that said about my music. I don’t mind the “egg-punk” label at all. The older music is definitely fitting of that. I was keen to give something else a shot with this new album, though, to keep it interesting for myself, and other people too.

Having toured with heavyweights like Ty Segall and Regurgitator, what is the most important lesson you’ve brought back to your own headline shows?

We’re still on tour with Regurgitator at the moment, and it’s been the best time. The crew, and obviously the band, have been the best to be around. Playing a show with Ty was an absolute dream come true, too. One thing I noticed both of these artists/bands had in common was that they both went out of their way to keep their tour life, and shows, as interesting as possible, so they didn’t go insane on the road. For example, Ty had this like dual setlist thing going, and the band would choose what songs they’d play, like right before they went onstage. Every set was super different, and that was something I found really cool.

"Knowledge" satirizes people who act like they have all the answers. After three albums in a little over a year, do you feel like you’ve finally mastered the "media puzzle" formula, or is the goal to keep the process impulsive and scrappy?

I don’t think I’ll ever master any sort of media puzzle formula. It’s always changing, and that’s what I love about it. It definitely is scrappy and impulsive, and that’s what I think keeps it interesting for me.

You’ve mentioned that Lismore’s "regional burnout" is a major influence. Now that you’re touring nationally, do you find yourself writing more about the road, or does the Northern Rivers still provide the best fuel for your lyrics?

I love Lismore with all my heart. It really has provided me with the best fuel for lyrics over the last few years. Over 50% of the songs I’ve written have something to do with that town, or at least remind me of it. Maybe myself saying “regional burnout” was a little too harsh… but a “need for change” was definitely one of, if not the biggest influence for the album. Half the band have just moved to Melbourne, myself included, so I don’t know what will provide the lyrical fuel for the next batch of songs, but I’m really excited to see what comes.

You often credit the weird brilliance of Lismore locals as a major influence. Are there any local artists or community figures who directly inspired the themes on the new record?

As of this new record, not so much literal people, but definitely places and experiences with people. For example, track 3, “Out of the Rain”, is about being flooded in, during Cyclone Alfred and how hypnotic and strange that was. Track 4, “I Don’t Care!”, talks about feeling stuck in a small place and wanting to escape to the city.

Your upcoming record, "New Racehorse"—dropping April 17 via Impressed Recordings—feels like a pivotal moment for the band. How did the signing with Impressed influence the production of the album, or did you stick to your "demo-is-the-final-mix" guns?

Nothings changed in my production since signing. I still write and record everything in my bedroom. For the time being, I know what sound I’m after, and I’m content with that for now. There’s an infinite amount of freedom that comes with doing things yourself, but that also means you have to do it all yourself haha!

Final question, What are you all listening to at the moment?

Tom: Mr. Investigator - Ex-Cult

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Oli: Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers - L.A.M.F

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Eden: Station to Station - David Bowie

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Solomon: Dirty Hands - Tee Vee Repairmann

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Kellie: Worthless Soul - Sievehead

New Racehorse, due April 17 via Impressed Recordings. Pre-order/pre-savehere.