Temper City turn the rush of attraction into a question on “Sex & Drugs”: Are the feelings real, or does the high just make them seem that way?
Released October 16 through Thirty Knots/Interscope Records, the alt-rock trio’s third single examines the pull of intense, short-lived relationships. Singer-songwriter Eytan Peled and producers Aviv Barenholtz and Chen Kordova wrote and produced the track during a spontaneous late-night session in their living room.
The band describes the song as a “self-observant snapshot of modern romance,” exploring how easily the pursuit of excitement can be mistaken for a deeper connection. That idea fits their approach to songwriting, which they describe as “basically us just being honest about the stuff we usually keep in our heads but feel in our hearts.”
The accompanying video gives that theme a darkly playful form. A mouse pursues blocks of cheese before falling hopelessly in love with a cat, turning a familiar predator-and-prey pairing into a story about desire and self-destructive choices.
“We wanted something that matched the song’s cynical look at modern relationships and chasing fast thrills,” the band explains.
Temper City performed “Sex & Drugs” during both weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival ahead of its release. The single follows “Self Aware,” which helped introduce the trio to a wider audience earlier this year.
Before stepping forward as Temper City, the three members spent five years working behind the scenes and developing songs for other artists across electronic, blues and rock music. Their debut album is expected in 2027, with announced appearances at iHeartRadio ALTer EGO on January 16 and Phoenix’s M3F Festival in March.
