We’ve been thrilled by Chet Faker ever since that Melbourne Boiler Room performance twelve years ago. Something about Nick Murphy’s world pulled us in and refused to let go. Since then, the Australian singer, songwriter and producer has served up a devastatingly delicious catalog, and here at the Box, we still can’t stop munching.

His latest album, A Love for Strangers, gives us plenty more to savor. Released February 13, 2026, the twelve-track record is a deeply emotional project—and one of its loveliest surprises is how much of its world we get to see. Murphy hasn’t simply handed his loyal listeners a collection of songs. He has opened the door, invited us closer and given these feelings room to move on screen.

More than a familiar voice

There is history behind our affection. From the early pull of Built on Glass to the pleasures of Hotel Surrender, Chet Faker has become one of those artists we return to because the personality remains unmistakable even as the surroundings change. The voice is part of it, certainly, but so is the willingness to keep building a different room for that voice to live in.

According to the album’s official biography, this project emerged through personal upheaval and a renewed interest in connection beyond romantic love. Revisiting Built on Glass for its tenth anniversary helped Murphy reconnect with the impulse behind his music. His reference points stretch from late-1990s electronic textures to early-2000s piano-led pop, with David Gray’s White Ladder among the influences cited. Read the official album background.

For us, the reward is that emotional closeness. There is something generous about an artist allowing a record’s vulnerable side to remain visible. We don’t need every corner polished into a shiny distraction. We want the feeling—and this project gives us plenty to hold on to.

“Over You” and “1000 Ways”: come along for the ride

The videos make that invitation wonderfully literal. “Over You” brings us into the simple intimacy of a truck ride, while “1000 Ways” takes us close on a motorcycle. These are the kinds of visual ideas that don’t have to shout to make an impression. Motion, proximity and Murphy’s presence do the work.

That is what we love about these deliveries: they feel personal. The scenery moves, the song opens up, and suddenly we’re happy to stay in the passenger seat. The official “1000 Ways” credits name Murphy and Clancy Walker as co-directors, with Walker also handling production, cinematography and editing. It is a small creative team bringing us close to the artist, not putting more distance between us.

“Far Side of the Moon”: where the real and digital meet

Then comes “Far Side of the Moon,” and the visual world takes a stranger turn. Murphy teamed with director Baptiste Guilmard and production company Quad for a film that plays with physical presence and digitally constructed imagery. It is an impressive complement to the song: a little uncanny, a little dreamlike, and full of that wonderful feeling that the familiar has slipped into another dimension.

The production details matter here. The team describes a combination of motion-control filming and depth-camera capture, with Qanine Studio involved in post-production and SplineVisual supplying motion-control expertise. Repeatable camera movements and 3D work let the film explore overlapping realities. This is carefully designed visual-effects filmmaking; the available credits do not establish it as a generative-AI video.

What caught our eye was the result, not a technology label. The digital treatment of Chet’s image adds another layer to the emotional atmosphere without making the song feel like an afterthought. That balance is the magic trick. Watch the film and explore Guilmard’s production page.

A little more room for love

The album’s twelve songs also include “Can You Swim?,” “Remember Me,” “Inefficient Love” and “The Thing About Nothing,” featuring aLexvsaLex, before closing with “Just My Hallelujah.” There is a whole record beyond the individual visual attractions, and we recommend giving it that space.

Twelve years after that Boiler Room introduction, we’re still delighted by where this artist takes us. A Love for Strangers rewards our long-standing affection with feeling, imagination and a generous helping of visual adventure. Put the album on, spend some time with the films and let Nick Murphy work his peculiar, delicious magic.

Listen to A Love for Strangers · Visit Chet Faker’s official website

Review: Chetuno. Featured photograph: Sarah Eiseman, supplied by Grandstand in Chet Faker’s official press kit. Release details: official album listing. Historical reference: Boiler Room’s Melbourne session archive. Video-production background: Guilmard’s portfolio and the production team’s published credits.

Written by Chetuno