The Rubens have returned with ‘Are You Getting High’, a new single that sees the New South Wales band lean further into the introspective songwriting that has defined much of their recent work. Released as the follow-up to ‘Goanna’, the track explores the uneasy emotional space that follows the end of a relationship, capturing the tension between acceptance and unresolved resentment.
by Paul Cashmere
The release arrives as The Rubens continue a prolific period following the 2024 album Soda, with the group confirming more singles are planned throughout 2026. The band has also flagged additional touring after a run of sold-out regional Australian dates earlier this year in Merimbula, Lake Tyers and Mildura.
‘Are You Getting High’ centres on emotional aftermath rather than confrontation. The song reflects on watching a former partner move forward while recognising personal responsibility for the collapse of the relationship. Musically, it continues the band’s established blend of alternative rock, soul influences and groove-driven production, a combination that has underpinned their commercial rise since emerging through triple j Unearthed in 2011.
The accompanying video, filmed at the Camden Show in New South Wales, places frontman Sam Margin in the middle of a crowded public event while isolated in thought. The contrast between the celebratory setting and the character’s internal state forms the central visual theme.
Keyboard player Elliott Margin said the song had originally been left unfinished among older demo recordings before eventually resurfacing during recent sessions.
“They’ve moved on and found someone new and you’re happy for them. Kind of. Not really. But maybe soon and that’s ok,” Elliott said.
He added, “This song was buried in the pile of demos stored in the cloud somewhere above our heads. Some songs stay there forever, but this one managed to escape. We love it and are glad it finally made it out.”
The Rubens formed in Menangle, south-west of Sydney, in 2011, featuring brothers Sam, Elliott and Izaac Margin alongside longtime friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Their breakthrough came quickly after uploading ‘Lay It Down’ to triple j Unearthed. The song later placed in the triple j Hottest 100 and led to a recording contract with Ivy League Records.
Their self-titled debut album arrived in 2012 and established the band as one of Australia’s most commercially successful alternative rock acts of the decade. Singles including ‘My Gun’ and ‘The Best We Got’ helped the album achieve Platinum certification and secured the group triple j Unearthed Artist of the Year honours.
The band’s commercial peak came with 2015’s Hoops. The title track won the triple j Hottest 100 and later achieved multi-platinum certification. The album debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and expanded the band’s audience internationally through touring in North America and Europe.
Subsequent releases have shown a willingness to broaden the band’s sonic identity. The 2018 album Lo La Ru incorporated hip hop and electronic influences through collaborations with producers Little Shalimar and Wilder Zoby, while the chart-topping 2021 album 0202 balanced polished pop songwriting with darker lyrical themes shaped by the uncertainty of the COVID era.
That record also produced ‘Live In Life’, which became one of the band’s biggest streaming successes, eventually surpassing 90 million streams globally and earning ARIA recognition for Song Of The Year. Across five studio albums, The Rubens have now accumulated more than 350 million streams worldwide and over 250,000 physical album sales.
Their reputation as a live act has also remained central to their career trajectory. Beyond headline tours, the group has supported major international acts including Bruce Springsteen, Pink and The Black Keys. Their 2018 support slot on Pink’s Australian and New Zealand arena tour exposed the band to audiences approaching half a million people across the run.
The release of ‘Are You Getting High’ suggests The Rubens are continuing to refine the more reflective songwriting direction introduced on Soda. While earlier records often relied on anthemic hooks and festival-ready choruses, recent material has favoured more restrained emotional storytelling.
That shift also reflects broader trends within Australian alternative rock, where established acts are increasingly moving away from traditional guitar-driven formulas in favour of more nuanced and genre-fluid production approaches. The Rubens have largely managed that transition without losing the melodic accessibility that first connected them with mainstream audiences.
With more singles expected throughout the year and additional live announcements imminent, the band appears positioned to extend a career that has now spanned more than 15 years. ‘Are You Getting High’ may not carry the immediate commercial force of earlier crossover hits like ‘Hoops’ or ‘Live In Life’, but it reinforces the group’s ability to evolve while maintaining a recognisable identity.
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