By Alex Pearson
Well we kept our ears pealed on this man Day Wave, a Californian-based musician named Jackson Phillips. With the release of his Debut EP Album ‘Headcase’.
Previously released singles “Nothing At All” and “Total Zombie” shimmers with an optimistic, upbeat arrangement with lo-fi instrumentation that carries Jackson Phillips’ relaxed vocals in a positive direction.
Despite Phillips’ lyrical self-doubt, “Nothing At All” introduces Day Wave as a project that with bristles with promise, a spark, with a youthful approach to not being 100% sure of yourself or your direction.
‘Headcase’ arrives bursting at the seams with lush instrumentation and pop promise for all those still trying to figure it all out. Day Wave melds 80’s vices with top-down synths, sweetly driving us into a deep sleep. From the airy anthem of 20-something ambivalence in “Nothing At All,” to the mood-soaked back to the future ride. ‘Headcase’ is an acid-washed headrush fated to get stuck in your head. Even Zane Lowe couldn’t resist playing “We Try But We Don’t Fit In” on the first day of his new job at Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio.
I like how Day Wave is short, sweet, and to the point. Phillips tackles loneliness and rejection on “Drag,” like nothing happened. And self-doubt and confusion on the especially Wavves-like “We Try But We Don’t Fit In,” and self-deprecation on the title track, proving Day Wave isn’t just another beach band, but a beach band with complicated feelings and emotions beyond “I wanna get high” and “I wanna go to the beach.”
You can listen to the album below!
