Introducing: SALARYMEN

Sydney indie-pop duo Salarymen are set to release their debut album Take It Or Leave It on October 31st, and the final pre-album single “If You Want Me” lands September 26th. A cinematic, vintage-laced psych-pop ballad, the track has been a live fan favourite for years, capturing the ache of lost love with stunning male/female harmonies and dreamy, reverb-soaked instrumentation. Ahead of the album and a UK tour this November–December, we caught up with Renee de la Motte and Thomas Eagleton to talk heartbreak, nostalgia, and the inspiration behind their debut.

“If You Want Me” has been a live fan-favourite for years — what made now the right moment to finally release this track, and how does it set the emotional tone for Take It Or Leave It?

You only get one debut album, and you want it to be as impactful as possible. We've been working towards it for four years, so what better time to release it than now! if You Want Me is a deeply emotional song - it's about parting ways with someone, knowing you will never see them again. It's probably the saddest track on the album, but also the one we're most proud of. The album is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster to be honest, with plenty of highs and lows.

The album traces the different chapters of a long-term relationship. Were there specific moments in your own lives or shared experiences that shaped the storytelling on these songs?

There wasn't a specific moment that shaped the songwriting, but rather a collection of experiences over our lifetime. It feels extremely natural to write about relationships, as everyone has experienced some form of desire, heartbreak or betrayal - these emotions are basically core to being human. So when you write about these topics, I think listeners instinctively see themselves in the stories.

Your sound blends vintage 50s duet sensibilities with 00s indie and psych-pop textures — how do you balance those nostalgic influences with keeping your music fresh and contemporary?

We are fans of so many different styles of music, so we are constantly trying to blend them together which keeps it sounding fresh. We often get to the end of a song and ask each other, "what genre is this?" Which is a really good thing. In 2025, it can feel a bit like everything has been done before, so we always like to push our creative boundaries and try things we're not as familiar with. For example, our song 'Let Me Go' came about because we wanted to write an entire song around a Bongo riff. That was the creative brief haha. I think if we were to invent a new genre, it would be called Nostalgia Rock.

The manga-inspired album artwork is such a distinctive choice. Can you tell us about collaborating with Teasheen Chua and how that visual concept connects to Salarymen’s identity and themes?

We have a very soft spot for Japan, as you might be able to tell from our band name. Salarymen in Japan are white collar workers who show their unyielding allegiance to their bosses by working extremely long hours, often ending up passed out on the sidewalk or train after slurping down a bowl of late-night ramen. Being a musician is a bit like being a salaryman. You have such a strong dedication to your art that you're willing to work long hours in a corporate job to make ends meet and spend all your time and money funding your music career, often ending up with nothing to show for it except a free drink ticket.

After touring Australia, Japan, and the UK, how have those international experiences influenced your live performances or songwriting, and what are you most excited about for this UK tour?

We are so lucky to have toured internationally in multiple countries. It changes your perspective on things and makes you realise the world is so much bigger than your little circle. Australian bands can often get caught up in a certain "sound" because we have such an insular market, so it's important to not box yourself in. It still surprises me that we have fans all around the world, it's a really beautiful thing when someone who speaks a different language says your song had a deep impact on them.