Today, synth-pop duo Dunes have announced the official release of their new self-titled debut album, scheduled to surface on February 9th 2018. To commemorate the occasion, the magnetic pair have also shared a delicate acoustic cover of their latest single 'Hard', filmed by Christian Tjandrawinata (watch here).

The songs on their debut offering were born out of a musical collaboration between New Zealand-born sisters Jamie & Tessa McDell, through fusing together their contrasting music influences to tell raw and honest stories of their lives.

Produced and engineered by Thomas Healy (Tiny Ruins, Clap Clap Riot, Paquin), it is a melting pot of Jamie's penchant for strong, structured pop tunes, and experimentation with new and unique synth and instrumental laters inspired by Tessa's diverse listening leans.

The sisters started writing collaboratively when they realised how little involvement they had in each other’s lives growing up. With music being their common ground, writing and recording in close, creative proximity over the past year became their way of opening up to each other about some of their most difficult experiences. While Tessa, like Jamie, has also grown up listening to country music, her influences expand further into Hip Hop and R&B, which pulled them further down the rabbit hole in finding and developing a sound that is Dunes’ own. The result is refreshingly honest and relatable, as much as it is autobiographical.

Jamie is no stranger to the New Zealand music industry, having two Gold singles and a Gold-selling, NZ Music Award-winning album under her belt, while sister Tessa has, up until the past year, spent most of her spare time studying animal behaviour and releasing her own solo material.

Earlier this year, the pair's debut single 'Horses' took on the world, gathering attention towards the sisters' synthpop side project after being uploaded to Soundcloud and shared around by fans. It was picked up by NOISEY, who said of the track: "on first listen justifies their early comparisons to the big pop of Grimes and Purity Rings."). Since then, Dunes have released a new single ('Hard') with an accompanying Benjamin Brooking directed music video, which followed on in the footsteps of its sleek predecessor - presenting the family disposition for strong melody crafting and songwriting.