EPs or ‘extended plays’ are great for a musician’s development. They typically only consist of a few songs, usually about a third the size of a full length album. The one man band Day Wave, created by Oakland native Jackson Phillips has released a new EP to showcase some new sounds titled Crush. With only four songs and a total listening time of about thirteen minutes, Day Wave offers up a chance to hear some new tunes and for music lovers everywhere to experience something different and to broaden their artistic interests.
Crush is an interesting EP, and its sound is a familiar one to those who may enjoy indie projects in that of either movies or music. Day Wave is essentially an indie rock band, but there is a hint of pop mix as well. The integration of both genres makes for an intriguing listening experience. The pleasure of this EP in particular is the relatable subject matter, as well as the sound of simple instrumentals and easy to digest lyricism. The four songs on the EP are all exactly what their titles would indicate. The tracks are as follows- Starting Again, Potions, Empty, and the title of the EP, Crush. Each song is the culmination of personal thoughts and the titles otherwise express what each song is about without the need for too much depth. Much of their meanings can be found in recent interviews about the EP as well.
Crush is a slight side-step in the sound, as most of it is pure piano and in much softer tone than the previous three tracks.
According to Phillips, much of this was written with examining his own identity in mind. Starting Again sounds as though he’s taking a new direction after being on a break from his own projects. Aside from other artists, almost any ordinary ‘person’ knows what it means to start over in order to feel fresh and new. Potions is a song that seems to examine personal vices, essentially knowing that certain things in life can be toxic but then choosing to engage in said activities anyway. Empty is also an easy listen, without to need to dissect it too critically. It’s relatable in that most everyone has moments in life where they are not fulfilled, and that feeling is not something that others wish on anyone else. Crush is a slight side-step in the sound, as most of it is pure piano and in much softer tone than the previous three tracks.
The songs all almost sound like a conversation with someone else, whilst being an internal message at the same time. Additionally, the overall tone of the album can come of slightly depressing, yet somehow expressed in an upbeat way. Though to be frank, that’s THE point it seems. In order to hear from some musicians, their music must be heard from a personal standpoint, and ‘personal’ isn’t always ‘joyful’. Whether these songs were MEANT to be personal is one thing, but rest assured interpretations will vary. YouTube has this latest EP at no cost to listen to, or hop over to Spotify to give it a listen.
