The Fismits Return with New Single ‘Scars’ Ahead of Upcoming EP Falling Joy
South African indie-alternative rock project The Fismits have returned with the release of their new single ‘Scars’, marking the first chapter of their forthcoming EP, Falling Joy, set for release on 26 June. Accompanied by an official music video, ‘Scars’ delivers the definitive recorded version of a song that was originally written over thirty years ago and has long been a live favourite among fans. The track reflects the band’s ability to bridge decades of musical development while maintaining the raw energy and emotional intensity that first made it resonate. This release positions The Fismits as a band that honors their history while pushing forward with considered artistry. Listeners are offered both a sense of nostalgia and a fresh perspective on one of the band’s earliest compositions.
Originally composed in the mid-1990s by Bruce Barrett during his time with Mark Biagio in The Mind Theatre, ‘Scars’ earned a reputation for its shifting dynamics and distinctive rhythmic pulse. The song was a staple in live performances but never received the studio treatment that would fully realize its potential. Biagio, who now leads The Fismits, revisited the track with the intent of giving it a definitive recorded form. Through meticulous production, re-keying, and reconstruction, the song has been transformed while retaining the core energy that made it a standout from the start. This careful approach ensures that both longtime fans and new listeners can experience the track at its most polished and expressive form.
The recording sessions, which took place at Dirty Badger Music during 2024 and 2025, emphasized emotional weight and technical precision. Produced, mixed, and mastered entirely by Mark Biagio, the track balances tension and melody with a restrained alternative rock sensibility. The arrangements highlight both lyrical introspection and instrumental clarity, allowing each element to contribute to the song’s reflective yet immediate impact. By blending subtle dynamics with layered textures, ‘Scars’ emerges as a track that feels both timeless and contemporary. The Fismits have achieved a careful equilibrium, preserving the song’s historical significance while giving it a modern sonic identity.
‘Scars’ is the first of three singles from Falling Joy, an EP that revisits Barrett’s mid-1990s material through a contemporary lens. The forthcoming singles, ‘Independence’ and ‘When’, expand the narrative arc of the EP, while the closing track, ‘Too Small A Word’, delves into darker and more introspective territory. Rather than revisiting the past for nostalgia alone, the project reframes these songs with clarity, resolution, and renewed purpose. Each track contributes to a cohesive artistic statement, reflecting the band’s growth while acknowledging the origins of the material. This approach positions Falling Joy as both a retrospective and forward-looking release that engages listeners on multiple levels.
Formed in 2016, The Fismits have steadily built a catalogue that includes the EP Anywhere (2017), the album Before the Hindsight (2020), and the 2024 single ‘Halen’. With ‘Scars’, the band bridges past and present in a release that feels measured, assured, and long overdue. The single demonstrates their ability to honor early collaborations while refining them with contemporary production and performance standards. Fans can expect Falling Joy to continue this exploration of revisited material with depth, nuance, and emotional resonance. ‘Scars’ sets the stage for the EP as a meaningful, deliberate statement of The Fismits’ artistic evolution.
