Sometimes it’s just nice to vibe out, chill, maybe even daydream. Others like to maybe drift off and also reminisce. That’s fine, and that’s good, but with Wild Nothing’s latest EP Laughing Gas currently streaming, the real question is: why not do both? The new EP guarantees listeners a relaxing sound and euphoric mood that makes for an easy chance to kick back and unplug. Founded and basically comprised of musician Jack Tatum, Wild Nothing is a “band” that came to being about a decade ago and still seems to be going strong. Wild Nothing may not be a beacon of mainstream music, but without Indie music, that’s all there would be to listen to.
Now many who enjoy music are ONLY about the mainstream. The upside to this is that the EP only consists of five songs: Sleight of Hand, Dizziness, Foyer, Blue Wings, and The World is a Hungry Place. The five tracks only last for about just over twenty minutes, so the time well spent (or not, but ideally yes) is quick but allows listeners to expand their musical horizons on music that’s not often blared out on mainstream radio stations. The tracks are all very similar stylistically in that there’s definitely an 80’s indie pop vibe. This is something that seems to be making a comeback as a few musicians here of late have been venturing into similar territory. Tatum has certainly paid homage to the 80’s with the obvious synth waves and also with the occasional double drum machines in this new EP. His voice and lyrics also mesh well with this style of record production.
As a lyricist, Tatum adds a great deal of depth and layers on these tracks. The messages are not always clear, but due to his style, they may not always be meant to be. Each track on Laughing Gas sounds as though its lyrics are peppered with metaphors that leave hidden messages, though the words aren’t so rich and convoluted that they should leave people too confused. The dream like aspects of this EP will likely leave the listener with a lot of questions, but its design seems to invite multiple ideas and interpretation of what’s being said. So in addition to being able to chill out and lie back, the listener can analyse and draw their own conclusions, which can sometimes be fun, though not always. In this case it should be alright, and again, it’s only five songs!
Wilding Nothing and the new EP Laughing Gas is unique, and that is enough.
Being it’s an EP and so short, there’s not too much to be broken down. With the complexities that intentionally exist within Laughing Gas, it is not a piece of music that’s aim is necessarily to be stripped bare and attentively assessed, nor is Wild Nothing. Wild Nothing is one of those bands that most of the general populace probably would not hear of due to miniscule faults such as marketing, or for lacking an LA record company that amplifies their music to the extreme because they decided that it fits into their idea of pop music that can make them a fortune. Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be that, and Wild Nothing is not asking to be. Wilding Nothing and the new EP Laughing Gas is unique, and that is enough. Currently it can be found on Spotify and is easily available for purchase. Also (at the least for the moment) the full EP can be found for easy listening on YouTube for free.
