Announce new album ‘Pursuit of Anything’ due out October 2 — plus Asia tour dates this July in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia
There’s something about Australian indie rock bands that captures the bittersweet feeling of growing up. Maybe it’s the sun. Maybe it’s the distance from everywhere else. Whatever it is, Vacations has it.
The band — lead songwriter and vocalist Campbell Burns, bassist Jake Johnson, guitarist Nate Delizzotti, and drummer Joseph Van Lier — just announced their new album, Pursuit of Anything, out October 2 on Nettwerk. They’ve also released the lead single and video, “Holy Grail,” and honestly? It’s a perfect introduction to where they’re at right now.
The New Single: “Holy Grail”
“Holy Grail” is a diamond of a pop song. It’s the kind of track you want playing while you’re lying out in the sun, maybe with your eyes closed, just letting the melody wash over you. But don’t let the dreamy surface fool you — there’s a lot going on underneath.
The song opens with Burns singing, “How can I fool myself,” over twinkling synths and a gentle lilt. It’s impressionistic. It’s melancholy. And it comes from a very real place.
“‘Holy Grail’ was based on a stressful Zoom call we had together as a band last year,” Burns explains. “We were in this period of wanting to write and record new material, but then also being stuck in a loop of unsustainable touring. So many people I know have devoted their entire lives to music, and yet, at times it can feel as if you’re in pursuit of anything just to make it work for you.”
That push and pull — loving something so much but struggling with it at the same time — is the heart of the song. And it’s relatable even if you’re not in a band.
“This push and pull dynamic of something I love so much is fascinating to me,” Burns continues. “I may struggle at times, but I will always return to it because it brings so much joy and fulfillment and ultimately outweighs any negative.”
The Album: ‘Pursuit of Anything’
Pursuit of Anything captures Vacations at a turning point. Burns finds himself reflecting on the disorienting, often contradictory experience of growing up — tracing his path from Newcastle, Australia to Los Angeles and New York, caught between ambition and the more traditional lives unfolding back home.
The album was written by the band and produced by Burns, but it’s very much a group effort. Burns draws constant inspiration from his bandmates’ lives and perspectives, exploring how they’re each living out different lives yet share a common experience. They’re all on their own “pursuits,” whatever that means for each of them.
Mixed by Beatriz Artola (who’s worked with Geese and Caamp, among others), the album has a richer, more intricate, and emotionally expansive sound than anything they’ve done before. It’s earnest. It’s dreamy. It feels instantly classic.
The title itself gets at something real: “It’s about happiness as a feedback loop,” says Burns. “How you keep chasing the next thing.”
The Journey So Far
This album announcement doesn’t come out of nowhere. Vacations have quietly become one of the most globally resonant indie acts of their generation. We’re talking sold-out world tours, double-platinum certified hits, and over 3.5 billion streams. That’s not a typo. Billion with a B.
They’ve been making music together since they were barely out of their teenage years, and you can hear that history in the music. On the new album, there are weddings, families, reflections on the past, and hope about the future. It’s a labor of love — the product of a group of friends who’ve grown up together and somehow managed to keep making art.
The Asia Tour: July 2026
Here’s the good news for fans in Southeast Asia: Vacations are coming back.
This July, they’ll bring their ‘Holy Grail’ Tour to the region with live dates across the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It’s their long-awaited return, and if their past tours are any indication, these shows are going to move fast.
Tour Dates:
- Fri. July 3 – San Juan City, PH @ Music Museum
- Sun. July 5 – Kuala Lumpur, MY @ Voxlive
- Mon. July 6 – Singapore, SG @ Foo Chow Building
- Thu. July 9 – Jakarta, ID @ Bengkel Hall, SCBD
If you’ve been following Vacations for a while, this new album feels like a reward for sticking around. They’ve grown. They’ve toured the world. They’ve sold millions of records. But at their core, they’re still a group of friends making music together because they can’t imagine doing anything else.
Pursuit of Anything is out October 2. “Holy Grail” is out now. And they’ll be in Southeast Asia this July.
See you at the shows.
Rome is a freelance writer and photographer. He brings a fresh perspective to the indie music scene and highlights emerging artists and underground movements. His writing style is drawn from personal experiences and a deep love for the art form.