
Review by Charlotte Poynton
Meanjin music history was made this past Friday with the release of full lover fake friend from local gem, Ixaras. Described aptly as “not just a musician, rather a movement”, Ixaras is the first person I point towards when someone voices their feelings regarding the future of the music industry. Through her work of revitalising the youth scene, making live music more accessible, and effectively making the rest of us feel a little old and unaccomplished, Ixaras is an absolute force to be reckoned with.
All tracks on full lover fake friend are stylised in lowercase and without punctuation, perhaps in an act of adolescent rebellion towards the industry that tends to look down on the “inexperienced and fresh faced” youth. Whether you’re no stranger to the whirlwind force of Ixaras, or you haven’t had the opportunity of discovering the seventeen-year-old powerhouse yet – the following eight songs will leave you with melodies playing in your head and a new artist to see live in concert.
new to this
Opening the EP at the start of the journey, ‘new to this’ is a track written when Ixaras was just thirteen years old. A tale of a new crush and the nervousness of navigating all of your firsts, Ixaras executes these familiar experiences with juvenile charm and authenticity. A song that could easily soundtrack the first kiss moment in any coming-of-age movie, the light-hearted and overwhelmingly relatable nature of ‘new to this’ has made it one of my favourite Ixaras tracks to catch live.
fresh figure
A song I will often describe as one of the very best Ixaras releases to date is ‘fresh figure’. A modern tale of disgruntled emotions against a blatant red flag of a situationship, Ixaras uses her musicality to add layers to the overall story. The overlap of the lyrics “Why don’t you tell them that you were on dating apps when we were dating?” and “I don’t feel anything” represent an emotional dilemma whilst trying to put a situation behind you, with the progressive instrumental build-up acting as a metaphor for the all-consuming battle of these conflicting thoughts.
sprouts
Launching Ixaras into the public eye in 2023, ‘sprouts’ was her submission to last year’s Triple J Unearthed High competition, earning the badge of finalist and the hearts of thousands across the nation. The 80’s inspired track captured the attention of many with its self-deprecative lyrics and addictive sound, with many citing Ixaras as one to watch in 2024. With recent support slots for major acts including Grinspoon and the initial positive response to the full love fake friend (with Ixaras sharing over Instagram that the EP reached over 15k streams in less than 24 hours after release), Ixaras has proved that ‘sprouts’ was purely just the beginning.
mean
One of the EP exclusive tracks is ‘mean’, a delightfully nostalgic track that transports you back to the mid-2000’s. A short yet vital acknowledgement to an all-consuming crush that keeps you hanging on, Ixaras sings on how “She knows what she can do to me”, accompanied by a guitar melody that keeps you hooked on every moment of this track.
full lover fake friend
The titular track, ‘full lover fake friend’ has been teased incessantly by Ixaras in live performances over the past few months, leading many fans to already be familiar with the track prior to release. Encapsulating the laid back and casual yet intoxicatingly addictive spell that we’ve come to love from their discography, ‘full lover fake friend’ continues the previous themes of naivety whilst contrastingly displaying growth from earlier tracks such as ‘new to this’.
salt
One of my clear favourites since the original single release, ‘salt’ is definitely a song not to miss. Ixaras steps it up a level with this track, with a string section appearing in the bridge and final choruses. Featuring the universal theme of parting ways with a lover or friend due to a growing divide, ‘salt’ stands out as one of the most mature tracks in their discography.
worry
If you’re looking for a new song to stick on repeat for the rest of time, ‘worry’ is perfect for you. The addictively catchy lyrics and simple four note motif hidden throughout the song contribute to ‘worry’ becoming the ultimate earworm of a track. Ixaras deliberates “But what is a break supposed to do?” whilst lyrically grappling with a relationship standing on its last legs.

shes already out the doorstep
Closing off full lover fake friend is recent single from Ixaras, ‘shes already out the doorstep’. Musically one of the strongest tracks on the EP, the main vocal melody is played on guitar and quickly becomes the most memorable melodic line. A cheeky tambourine plays through the bridge, where the iconic vocal layering that we’ve come to love from Ixaras makes yet another appearance. Despite the high quality of the entire EP, I do believe that the final three song run is the strongest and a peak display of talent.
If you’re loving full lover fake friend, be sure to catch Ixaras live on tour with indie pop darling Aleksiah, and keep an eye on Antidismal, the youth-focused record label launched by several years ago by Ixaras.