Surf-pop may have plenty of summery connotations, but it is able to provoke certain moods in any season. Whether it soundtracks endless warm evenings under the July sky, or fills you with nostalgia of holidays past, as you hug an electric blanket in the middle of a bleak January afternoon, the combination of scuzz and surf is a winning formula. It’s almost five years since all these sounds made a triumphant return, as Summer Camp brought their brand of 80s sparkle, Wavves and Best Coast, their Lo-Fi grit and hazy vocals, and The Drums plastered their faces onto the music section of most magazine aisles.
Onward to now, we have Day Wave, a new alias for an artist with an electro-pop background Jackson Phillips, he also hails from California, a prime spot of the late 00’s/early 10’s low-fi scene. With an infusion of the seasoned surf bands, his second musical offering is a warm, guitar-driven piece of melancholy. There are Drums-esque all-sorts on show here, in particular the vocal woos and oohs in the background and a simple, catchy drum progression. “Total Zombie” is a song that says “Play me on a good day, and if you’re having a bad day, maybe I can make it better”. While Phillips takes time out of his other band Carousel to pursue this guitar-heavy project, he could be one of the flag bearers in a resurgence of back-to-basics indie-pop that is probably overdue a return.
#Peace.Love.TotalZombie
