Blank Realm reside in Australia, but on “Falling Down the Stairs” they sound like they moved about 1400 miles northwest. The tune’s chugging organ and spilling guitars are pure New Zealand, like something the Clean would’ve made if this quartet hadn’t gotten there first. “Falling” has been in their repertoire for a while: a hypnotic take recorded live on a “party boat” showed up on YouTube a couple years ago, and a studio version was slated for an aborted 2012 single.

The latter has been remixed for Blank Realm’s forthcoming album Grassed Inn (due out in January on Fire), and the wait was worth it. There’s some nice clarity in the opening acoustic strums and pumping keyboard, but everything else is still pretty rough and tumble, capturing the band’s particular way of coloring outside the lines without losing sight of them. Crucially–and again much like the Clean–they feel no need to add twists or turns to their infectious melody, faithful that a great hook can be its own reward.