Yugambeh/Gold Coast-based trio, Bootleg Rascal, have returned with cut ‘Oti’ feat. Danté Knows – produced by Caleb Tasker (Rum Jungle, The Terrys), engineered by Izaac Wilson (Chillinit, The Moving Stills), with mixing and mastering by Ian Pritchett (Angus and Julia Stone, Boo Seeka).
‘Oti’ sees the band recall the vibe of earlier work akin to their debut EP Psychotica. Leaning into sun-soaked reggae and dub-infused grooves, the track also pairs as an endearing tribute to guitarist Jimmy Young’s son, Otis, who is affectionately called ‘Oti’. Danté Knows features on the new cut with a commanding verse that soars with conviction.
Jimmy describes the motivation behind the track: “‘Oti’ kind of evolved into an ode to my son, Otis River Young. It touches on the father-son connection we share and the infinite love I have for him. As a parent watching your little creation grow and develop is a pretty surreal experience and, in my case, has led to a lot of self-reflection and realisation, which the song delves into as well. The music itself I think really channels the vibe of early Bootleg Rascal, particularly the song ‘Overflow’ from our debut EP Psychotica, with that classic Australiana reggae indie-rock feel, and a touch of dub. We were also super stoked to have our good friend Danté Knows feature on it as well. His verse really was the icing on the cake the song needed.”
Bootleg Rascal have continually traversed the globe playing multiple sold-out headline shows in France, UK, Netherlands, Germany, USA, New Zealand and Australia. They’ve also regularly appeared on major Australian festivals including Falls Festival, Big Pineapple Festival, Lost Paradise, The Hills Are Alive, Festival of the Sun and Party in the Paddock.
In 2024, the group have been largely working on new material in the studio, and also toured the East Coast with good friends COTERIE and South Summit.