by Ian MacPhee (@i_macphee)
Holy Wave’s Interloper is a dip into modern psychedelia. Released via The Reverberation Appreciation Society, the band’s newest album sounds lush, crisp, and powerful. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Holy Wave’s brand of acid-drenched dream pop is guaranteed to turn heads.
The album begins with “Schmetterling.” A preview of what’s in store, the music is spacious, airy, and focused. The groove of the track is reminiscent of Dots and Loops era Stereolab, but filtered through Holy Wave’s watercolor lens. As space-age synthesizers cascade against acoustic guitar, subdued vocals begin to peek through the haze. Despite the heady atmosphere, Holy Wave’s songs are rich with melody, a contrast that sets the group apart from their psychedelic peers.
“Escapism” arrives about halfway through the album, and is a highlight of the release. This song was the second single for Interloper, and encapsulates everything great about the band. The track is sprawling and cyclical, and the title suits it’s dream-like ambience. During the final minute, all instruments lock into a hypnotic groove, allowing the mantra “ecstasy, energy, jealousy’s elegies” to repeat into the unknown. These last moments are both fuzzy and entrancing, proving the band’s ability to manipulate sound to a hypnotic effect.
Though the band has come a long way since 2012’s The Evil Has Landed, Holy Wave have done nothing but impress. The sophisticated and genre-bending sounds of Interloper are a testament to eight long years, yet the ideas still sound original. Ranging from sixties pop to synth-fueled krautrock, Holy Wave show no signs of slowing down.