Photo Courtesy of @wallowsmusic
Indie pop band Wallows, comprised of Dylan Minnette, Cole Preston and Braeden Lemasters, released their second EP, “Remote,” on Friday, Oct. 23. They created the entire work while in quarantine. Dylan Minnette told People, “We never saw each other once before its completion. Lots of FaceTime calls to talk about it, and it was overall really fun and inspiring. It was kind of fun to not really have a vision and just let it find itself.” The three took the time to experiment with the band’s sound, leading to their newest work being very sonically different from their past releases.
The EP was announced by the band on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and the first single, “Nobody Gets Me (Like You),” was released that same day. The song is upbeat and features a heavy synth sound along with lots of guitar and drums, giving it a ‘90s feel. Lemasters takes the lead on this song, singing about finding someone that you can connect with in life on a deeper level. He later told MTV that the song was inspired by his girlfriend, Janessa.
Not long after, the trio released “Virtual Aerobics,” the first track on the EP. This song is another upbeat pop song but features a memorable piano melody throughout its duration. The lyrics, like “Wanna dress in what makes you like me / I’ll probably overwear these Nikes,” sung by Minnette, talk about trying one’s hardest to make someone like them because they love spending time with them.
When the EP was first released, it featured four new songs with seamless transitions from one song to another. “Dig What You Dug” is one of the most complex songs the band has released, and possibly one of their best. The heavy bass and electric piano featured in the song give it an early 2000s film feel, and Lemasters’ and Minnette’s voices contrasting throughout the song suit the melody perfectly. The two sing about a budding romance and not trying to pretend you’re someone you’re not to make people like you.
“Coastlines” is the first song on the EP that is a bit slower, but it still fits in with the previous song perfectly. It feels like a song that would play over a prom scene in a movie set in the ‘80s. Many fans have stated that this song feels the most like the songs the band had previously released, and Minnette told People that they had been creating this track for two years but were just waiting for the right time to release it. The track, which features lyrics like “We can hear them knocking at our door / Won’t let them take us away no more,” are about wanting to spend time with a loved one after having no time off.
The group picks up the pace with “Talk Like That,” the shortest song on the album which features a chaotic, guitar-heavy melody. Although it is a bit forgettable, the song is definitely the most different from the band’s usual style, and it’s still enjoyable to listen to as Minnette sings about overthinking the things your partner says when you’re in a relationship.
“Wish Me Luck” is the slowest track and the perfect way to close out the EP, with its melancholy lyrics and dreamlike piano melody. Preston told People that he feels that the song is their most dramatic one yet. The song is about feeling as if you will never be enough for someone and the fear that you will lose them.
The EP is a fun, refreshing new take on pop music, with clear inspiration from the sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s. The group has taken a step out of their comfort zone, and it will be exciting to see where they decide to go next with this new sound.
“Remote” is now available on streaming platforms everywhere.
