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Oct 30, 2025 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Tom Wilkinson

Tomorrow, Sydney-based indie duo Salarymen are sharing their debut full-length album, Take It Or Leave It. Bandmates Renee de la Motte and Thomas Eagleton first debuted as Salarymen with their 2021 EP, Scene Change, before releasing their 2022 EP, Head in the Sand, and last year’s latest EP, Day By Day. Across those releases, the duo rapidly ascended through the Australian indie scene, drawing comparisons to bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Strokes, and Tame Impala while evoking a catchy and nostalgic blend of indie rock, woozy psych pop, and vintage pop songwriting.

This year, the band teased their forthcoming debut with a string of new singles, beginning with “Just Because You Can,” and returning most recently with last month’s single, “If You Want Me.” Today, the band are sharing an early listen to one of the highlights from the full record, “Holding On,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Holding On” finds the band leaning into full-blown pop uplift, piling on the driving rhythm section, glittering synths and earworm vocal melodies, even as the lyrics navigate through a fading romance. There is some of TOPS’ blend of indie and ‘70s AM pop glimmer in the mix, alongside a fizzy melodic sensibility that recalls bands like Alvvays and Yumi Zouma. Like those bands, Salarymen’s sturdy pop songcraft brings to mind well-worn influences but imbues them with fresh energy, down to the classic combination of sad lyrics and compulsively singable hooks. The band weaves hints of melancholy into the verses, but the chorus thrums with the possibility and excitement of new beginnings, soaring atop an airy vocal performance from Renee de la Motte: “I know you’re holding on / I’m not the one / I thought we were having fun / And now we’re done.”

The band says of the track, “This song is about having to tell someone you don’t love them, even though they are still holding on. You know it’s the right thing to do, and you’re excited for this next chapter of your life, but it’s also bittersweet as you have to tell your partner the truth and know they’ll be gutted,” explains de la Motte. “It’s also about leaving your friends and family behind for a while as you set off on your own journey.”

Check out the song and video below. Take It Or Leave It is out everywhere on October 31st.