News
6 November 2026 – Party Dozen Release 21 Bum Salute and Turn Experimental Saxophone Rock Into a Glorious Sonic Riot
By Editorial Team - November 6, 2026
Summary
Sydney duo Party Dozen release 21 Bum Salute via City Slang, turning distorted saxophone, relentless percussion, and wild vocals into explosive noise rock.
Key Facts
- Sydney noise-rock duo Party Dozen release fifth album 21 Bum Salute on City Slang.
- Condenses extensive sax-and-drum improvisations into 10 tracks running just 30 minutes.
- Features lead single 'Full Powers' and a scheduled London performance at The Shacklewell Arms on November 29.
- Entities: Party Dozen, Kirsty Tickle, Jonathan Boulet, City Slang, The Shacklewell Arms, Sydney, Australia
- Tags: party-dozen, 21-bum-salute, kirsty-tickle, jonathan-boulet, city-slang, sax-rock, noise-rock, experimental, sydney, australia
Australian experimental duo Party Dozen have released their fifth studio album 21 Bum Salute through City Slang, continuing their exploration of distorted saxophone, relentless percussion and unconventional rock arrangements. The Sydney partnership consists of saxophonist and vocalist Kirsty Tickle and drummer and producer Jonathan Boulet. Their earlier recordings developed a reputation for energetic improvisation and an unusual ability to transform minimal instrumentation into enormous musical environments.
The latest collection builds upon that approach while introducing a greater emphasis on rhythm, vocal expression and deliberately unpredictable arrangements. Developed through years of improvisational sessions, the album condenses numerous experimental ideas into approximately half an hour of music. Its ten tracks include "Special Unit", "Euro Stomper", "Mad Rooter", "Toss My Coin", "Full Powers", "Captain Hook" and "Age of Fools".
Previous single "Full Powers" examines the attraction and danger of excessive power, moving between confident rhythmic passages and increasingly uneasy instrumental textures. Tickle's vocal contributions also occupy a more prominent position on the album, frequently functioning as another expressive instrument rather than conventional lyrical narration. Party Dozen have described the project as a particularly enjoyable creative experience, reflecting their willingness to follow unusual musical ideas without worrying excessively about genre boundaries. A London performance at the Shacklewell Arms is scheduled for November 29.
The album demonstrates how independent experimentation can remain playful even when the music becomes extremely loud and confrontational. Apparently the distinction between a saxophone performance and an industrial accident becomes considerably less important when both sound this entertaining. Check out abrasive noise experiments in our post-punk section and keep up with new music in our news feed.