Two recent singles from Northern California-based rockers Wave Beam firmly showcase their tendency for cohesively intertwining hooky immediacy with atmospheric guitar-forward spells. Released in April, “Take a Minute” takes inspiration from shoegaze and post-grunge — unleashing a heavy ferocity from the get-go — while the newly released “Late Summer” struts a peppier rock/pop spirit.
The angsty, existential “Take a Minute” embraces a distortion-heavy guitar presence, halting with exhilarating momentum at a two-minute turn that grippingly navigates into the heady vocal re-unveiling and clanging percussive additions. Meanwhile, “Late Summer” eases in with a dreamier tonal intrigue; segments of guitars and trickling whimsy venture into a melodic vocal lead. Its jangly, dream-pop composure is quite different from the intensity of “Take a Minute,” though both tracks succeed equally in demonstrating the project’s eclectic tonal range and quality songwriting.
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These and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
