Hailing from Birmingham, UK, Graywave is the music project, born as an ‘ambient musical rejection of brutalist monotony’, of guitarist, singer, and composer Jess Webberley, with the recent addition of Christos Makarounas, filmmaker, guitarist, vocalist and producer.
After two spring singles, the excellent debut “Afternoon Escapism” and “Rain”, both introspective and atmospherical reverb-infused slow-paced ballads, the new 2-track single “Growing Garden” marks a further step forward both in production and songwriting quality, adding more shimmer and dynamic shifts, with heaps of tempo changes, veering between contemplative lush ambience to fuzzy guitar wailing, possibly drawn from Jess’ past as guitarist of last year’s disbanded hardcore band Stranded, to the band’s vibrant yet ethereal shoegaze sound.
“Fluid” unfurls enchanting and hypnotizing sparkling 6-string arpeggio lulled by a sensual, vulnerable and reflective voice, before kicks, cymbals and solid drums introduce a dense bath of guitar distortions that immediately vanish into an ecstatic interlude of sinuous swirling rubbery bassline and subtle guitar flourishes, as emotional vocals breathlessly gasp melancholic bliss penetrating the unwilling fog of liberating chaos bolstered by a surging rush of poignant guitar wails.
The equally effective, more fuzzy guitar-laden, “Do You Want To”, with fascinating dual vocals, laced with bracing impassioned energy, and moving bittersweet melancholia, ends the 2-tracker in great style, making for an absolutely brilliant release.
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