Melbourne / London band Shiva and the Hazards are made up of founding members Douglas Hind and Leigh Baines, as well as Jet O’Rourke.

Their single, “East India Empress”, from their debut EP, “Future Cult Classics”, earned radio play on Triple J, Triple M and community radio in Australia, as well as BBC radio and independent radio in the UK.

Produced and mixed by Chris Potter (The Verve), the track was described by Triple J’s Declan Bryne as “A dreamy psych expanse”, and BBC radio’s Gary Crowley as “Impressive stuff and a real Brit Pop tinge… a cracking debut single”.

“Future Cult Classics” also includes tracks produced and mixed by Mark Gardener, frontman of legendary UK band, RIDE.

The band’s follow up single, produced by Matthew Redlich (Holy Holy), will be released later this year.



"Impressive stuff and a real Brit Pop tinge... a cracking debut single."
- Gary Crowley, BBC Radio London Music.

"A dreamy psych expanse."
- Declan Bryne, Triple J's Home and Hosed.

"It's ambitious, mesmerising, and full of noise. Love that total shift in pace at 1:18 mins and at about 3 mins in. Bands like The Verve and DMA's seep through this."
- Claire Mooney, ABC Triple J Unearthed Music Producer.

"All in all they created here a psychedelic and dreamy masterpiece which keeps you even more excited the more you listen to it.
- 27 Magazine

"It's a groove-laden journey to the outer reaches of one's mind. An expansive track that somehow still manages to run under four minutes, it luxuriates in a few different moods and time changes, with soaring psych-rock vocals that make for one very enjoyable carpet ride."
- PileRats.com.au

"Draws upon influences like Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead, while retaining a modern sound likened to Tame Impala with a slight Brit rock feel."
- 100% Rock Magazine

"On a par with the likes of Temples, Tame Impala and the Verve."
"Musically textured, “East India Empress” transcends a psychedelic, dream-pop and shoegazing haze which effortlessly stream and manoeuvre against the mesh of descending riffs and bouncing beats. It’s a majestic and voyeuristic song which races, drones, hammers and crashes, shedding old skin before reaching its climatic destination."
- mancreview.com

"Featuring a sound which has its roots in bluesy psychedelia, fuzzed out shoegaze and classic British rock melodies, Shiva And The Hazards are definitely ones not to miss."
- gigslutz.co.uk

"Melodies such as East India Empress reveal a great balance between dissonant noise-pop and catchy chord progressions"
- Inpress / themusic.com.au

"This band are a fantastic mixture of styles - psychedelia and crashing rock and roll and they have some fascinating influences. They also have the rare ability to be able to make things happen spontaneously, without needing to have everything mapped out beforehand - there is no safety-net here... As a result, these songs are full of real dynamic and great rushes of energy."
- Chris Potter (producer)

"Their psych -rock is powerful, energetic and intense, though never violent : the mind travels territories desolate, remote and dispersed, relaxing completely."
"East India Empress knows how to win those present, with his mesmerising performance and the guitars full of adrenaline. In a little more than forty minutes the Australians prove to have good potential and be a band to keep an eye on in the coming months."
- troublezine.it (translated)