- Battle jackets, beat up Doc Martens, loud music and sweaty punks once clothed the city of late 1970's Australia. During the height of our punk scene, emerges Sydney quartet The Particles. Donning bright and colourful, hand-altered garments and playing gaffer-taped instruments, The Particles pioneered melodic, DIY indie-pop in a time completely unexpecting it. 1980s Bubblegum archives and compiles all known recordings up till the band’s departure in the mid '80s. We first were introduced to the track Apricot’s Dream, on Chapter Music’s 2001 compilation Can’t Stop It! chronicling a small selection of Australia’s post-punk history.

Peter Williams’ ever moving power-pop guitar paired with the late Astrid Spielman’s eccentric vocals and playful lyrics call back to elements of '60's girl groups, à la The Crystals or The Shangri-Las. This distinctly, playfully feminine lens peaks on track Remington Rand, a song about the flaws of computers, being misunderstood and a heart hung up on typewriters.

The Particles, however, aren’t without their sad tunes. On Observations, Williams takes the vocal lead and the song has a beautiful yet tense, constantly arpeggiated guitar riff atop descending basslines and solemn trumpet. Williams and Spielman sing against each other, with opposing vocal lines that weave through each other and smartly support the subject matter of talking yet not being understood.

The song Dresses and Shoes is a particular highlight for me, all the elements that make The Particles so exciting are on full display here. Quirky electric pianos accompany a melody that can only be described as a 1950's doo-wop ballad on speed, backed by a glorious '80's drum machine; fighting the urge to dance is a useless cause.

1980s Bubblegum is exactly as it’s titled, a treat from the past. Astrid Spielman will be remembered as one of Australia’s most innovative frontwomen and her legacy, archived in this compilation, is a much-needed addition to our rich landscape of music history - one that music fans as well as historians will absolutely adore.

- Bella Christopher.