New Music: Sidewave – The Surface

Ahead of the release of their Dispel album in a few weeks, Denver alt/shoegaze band Sidewave have shared featured track, The Surface.

Where the first single from the LP, Big Whisper, had a stronger dream pop theme within its melodic post-hardcore sound, The Surface carries more of a sonic and emotional crunch to it. It could pass for heavygaze, though with the vocals and shimmering lead guitar hitting some lighter notes, as Sidewave counter that with atmospheric, densely packed explosions of space/stoner riffs, asserting the presence while allowing the vocals to maintain their air of intimacy.

The decade since their debut Glass Giant album has seen the band progress towards heavier and more complex sounds. The Surface indicates they still know their way around an accessible and memorable melody, and that the band is making music that reaches out to the listener and up to the stars.

The song isn’t escapist, but it is about finding something new, different: “The Surface is about longing for something beyond ordinary life, and for the person who makes that escape feel possible,” the band has revealed.

Dispel is out on the 23rd of October – you can pre-order the album in digital format on Bandcamp. For pre-save options and other album news, head to Sidewave’s Instagram feed.