If you’re chasing the best songs of Babe Rainbow, you’re in for a treat, because this Byron Bay trio-turned-quartet make some of the sunniest, strangest, most quietly sophisticated psych-pop coming out of Australia right now. Angus Dowling, Jack “Cool-Breeze” Crowther, Elliot “Dr. Love Wisdom” O’Reilly, and drummer Miles Myjavec have spent the better part of a decade turning surfboard wax and incense smoke into a genuine sound. I’ve had this catalog on rotation for years, through headphones on long train rides and blasting out of car speakers on coastal drives, and it holds up every single time. Below is my rundown of the tracks that best capture why this band matters, pulled from across their EPs, full-lengths, and live sessions.
Peace Blossom Boogy
This is the song that made a lot of people sit up and take notice of Babe Rainbow, and honestly, it still slaps. The guitar tone is loose and slightly wobbly, almost like it’s been left out in the sun too long, and that’s exactly the point. Dowling’s vocal delivery is relaxed to the point of near-whisper, which makes the chorus hook land even harder when it finally arrives. On headphones, you can hear how the rhythm section locks into a shuffle groove that owes as much to funk as it does to sixties flower-pop.
Johny Says Stay Cool
Clocking in tight and economical, this track is a masterclass in saying more with less. The guitar riff does most of the storytelling here, all clipped and reverb-soaked, while the lyrics lean into a laid-back, half-mocking philosophy that feels very true to the band’s Byron Bay roots. What gets me every time is the bridge, where the mix opens up and the harmonies stack in a way that feels almost accidental, like the band caught a good take and just kept it.
Monky Disco
A weirder, funkier cousin to the rest of the catalog, and one of the tracks that made critics compare the band to a lighter-hearted King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. The bassline is the real star, slinky and a little sinister under all that sunshine, and the production leaves plenty of space for percussion flourishes to poke through. It’s the kind of song that rewards a good pair of headphones, since so much of the character lives in the low end and the panning tricks scattered across the stereo field.
Something New
There’s a real warmth to this one, a sense of a band comfortable enough in their own skin to let a song breathe without forcing a big hook. The vocal harmonies are gentler here, almost folk in their phrasing, and the arrangement leans on acoustic textures more than the fuzzed-out guitars found elsewhere. It’s a grower rather than an instant anthem, but that’s part of its charm.
Morning Song
As the title suggests, this one is built for sunrise listening, all soft strums and unhurried tempo. Meanwhile, the lyrics wander into gentle, almost meditative territory, which fits Babe Rainbow’s reputation for writing music that doubles as a mood-setting ritual. I’d put this on my list of songs to play while making coffee, not because it’s forgettable, but because it earns its place in that quiet part of the day.
Many Moons of Love
This track leans further into cosmic balladry, with swirling keys and a vocal melody that stretches out unhurried across the verses. The songwriting influence of sixties psych-pop songwriters is obvious, but Babe Rainbow never sound like a pure pastiche; there’s a modern looseness to the mastering that keeps things from feeling like a museum piece. In contrast to the punchier singles, this is a track built for a full album listen rather than a quick streaming hit.
Zeitgeist
Sharper and a touch more urgent than most of their catalog, this song finds the band flirting with a heavier groove without losing their trademark breeziness. The mix is noticeably more layered, with guitar overdubs stacked into a wall of sound that still somehow feels airy. It’s a good example of how far the band’s arrangement skills have come since their earliest lo-fi releases.
The Wind
A quieter, more atmospheric cut that leans on texture over hooks. The instrumentation here feels almost cinematic, with reverb-drenched guitar lines drifting in and out like weather systems. On a good pair of over-ears, the spatial mixing genuinely comes alive, so if you’re debating your setup, our headphones comparison guide is worth a look before you settle in with this one.
Double Rainbow
The title track from the album that pushed the band into the mainstream conversation, debuting at number 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart back in 2018. It’s got a bigger, more polished production than their debut, with tighter vocal stacking and a chorus that’s genuinely infectious without losing the band’s psychedelic edge. This is the song I’d play for someone who’s never heard Babe Rainbow before; it captures the whole ethos in under four minutes.
Funky I Like It
Exactly what it says on the tin: a groove-forward, hip-shaking cut built around a rubbery bassline and playful, almost spoken-word vocal phrasing. The mix keeps the drums dry and upfront, which gives the track a punchier, more danceable energy than a lot of their dreamier material. It’s a great pick for a car playlist, especially with the windows down.
Changing Colours
The title track of their 2021 album shows a band maturing without losing their playfulness. Released via their own label Eureka alongside Flightless and AWAL, the record leaned into fuller arrangements, and this song is a great showcase, with layered vocal harmonies and a warm, analog-leaning mix. Lyrically, it deals with transformation and growth, themes that feel earned rather than forced given the band’s steady evolution across three prior albums.
Love Forever
One of the earliest songs in the catalog, originally appearing on their debut EP, and it still holds up as a snapshot of where this whole project started. The production is rawer and more lo-fi, which actually suits the earnestness of the songwriting. There’s a real sweetness to the melody that foreshadows the band’s knack for turning simple sentiments into genuinely moving pop songs.
Secret Enchanted Broccoli Forest
Yes, that’s really the title, and yes, it’s one of the most beloved deep cuts in their catalog. The whimsy of the name matches the music, which drifts along on a bed of chiming guitars and unhurried percussion. It’s a great example of the band’s early songwriting influences, drawing clear lines back to Donovan-style flower pop while still sounding distinctly like themselves.
Rainbow Rock
A more upbeat, riff-driven number that leans harder into classic rock structure than a lot of their catalog. The guitar tone here is crunchier, closer to garage rock, and the arrangement gives Myjavec’s drumming plenty of room to drive the track forward. It’s a good pick if you want to introduce a rock-leaning friend to the band without going full psychedelia on them.
Your Imagination (feat. Jaden)
The band’s collaboration with Jaden Smith turned heads, and it’s easy to hear why the pairing worked. Jaden’s vocal texture blends surprisingly well with the band’s dreamy production, and the song leans into a hazier, more contemporary R&B-adjacent groove than their usual guitar-forward material. It’s proof that Babe Rainbow’s sonic palette is wider than the surf-psych label sometimes suggests.
Thinking Like a River
A slower, more contemplative track that trades hooks for atmosphere. The lyrics lean into nature imagery, which tracks given the band’s whole ethos of writing music tied to their surroundings in Byron Bay. The arrangement is patient, letting a simple chord progression breathe rather than rushing toward a chorus, and it rewards close, attentive listening.
Wild Ones (feat. Alex Knost)
Bringing in surfer-musician Alex Knost for this one makes total sense given how tied Babe Rainbow’s whole identity is to surf culture. The song has a loping, unbothered energy, all lazy strums and sun-bleached harmonies, and Knost’s presence adds a slightly rougher, more weathered vocal texture that contrasts nicely with Dowling’s smoother delivery.
Long Live the Wilderness
This track leans into the band’s more environmentally minded songwriting, with lyrics that read like a gentle protest anthem dressed up in melody rather than anger. Musically, it’s built on a steady, almost hypnotic rhythm guitar pattern, with vocal harmonies stacking gradually until the song feels bigger than its individual parts. It’s one of the more purposeful, message-driven entries in their catalog.
Thank You (triple j Like A Version)
Recorded for the beloved Australian radio institution’s cover segment, this rendition shows the band’s range as performers rather than just songwriters. There’s a looseness and warmth to the live take that studio recordings sometimes iron out, and it’s a genuine treat for fans who want to hear how the band translates their sound into a performance setting. If you’re building out a live-session playlist, it’s worth digging through our full songs archive for more picks like this.
Acid and Honey
A fitting closer, blending the band’s psychedelic instincts with a sweeter, more melodic pop sensibility, hence the title. The production is lush without being overstuffed, and the vocal melody has a genuine earworm quality that sneaks up on you after a few listens. It’s a strong example of how far the band’s songwriting has come while still holding onto the DIY spirit that got them started.
Listening back across all twenty of these, what strikes me most is how consistent Babe Rainbow’s identity is, even as their production budgets and ambitions have clearly grown. Whether you’re catching them on a decent set of earbuds during a commute or through a proper home setup, the songs reward attention to detail in the mix. If you’re shopping around for something better suited to catching all those layered harmonies, our earbuds comparison guide is a solid starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of Babe Rainbow?
Babe Rainbow consists of Angus Dowling on vocals and percussion, Jack “Cool-Breeze” Crowther on guitar, Elliot “Dr. Love Wisdom” O’Reilly on bass, and Miles Myjavec on drums, all based out of Byron Bay, New South Wales.
What genre is Babe Rainbow?
The band is generally classified as psychedelic rock or neo-psychedelia, with strong surf music, soft rock, and pop influences running throughout their catalog.
Which Babe Rainbow album debuted highest on the charts?
Their 2018 album Double Rainbow debuted at number 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart, marking one of the band’s most notable commercial milestones.
Did Babe Rainbow really collaborate with Jaden Smith?
Yes, the band worked with American artist Jaden Smith on the track Your Imagination, blending their dreamy psych-pop sound with a more contemporary vocal texture.
What is a good starting song for new Babe Rainbow listeners?
Double Rainbow or Peace Blossom Boogy are both excellent entry points, since they capture the band’s core sound of sunny melodies wrapped around psychedelic production.