LISTEN: Joywave Release First Single Mid-Pandemic “After Coffee”
LISTEN: Joywave Release First Single Mid-Pandemic “After Coffee”
Listeners are bound to feel this song right in their soul.
Words By: Bre Offenberger
New York-based alternative rock band Joywave have released “After Coffee,” a track about appreciating the normalcy of routine in an unexpected year. The track quickly turns from pure solemnity to an attempt to look optimistically into the future, something everyone old enough to remember this past year knows all too well.
As frontman Daniel Armbruster begins distilling his days to a few lines, The Japanese House-esque synths — that are just as airy as they are beckoning — swirl around his thoughts like a breeze of wind that never wants to stop. A bassline and drums join in the mix to remind Armbruster he’s not alone, though he’s never felt that emotion more. He dreams of getting away, people forgetting his name and starting over, but he realizes — backed by a fiery guitar — that he’ll never take the chance out of fear. He goes back to how his morning went before delivering his second rendition of the chorus, this time the guitar more prevalent and infectious. More mystifying synths that will force you to question all you thought you knew make way in the instrumental bridge before Armbruster’s range becomes more insane — convincing himself even more that he can’t bear to escape the repetitive days he’s come to be comfortable with.
Of the track, Armbruster shares: “Some listeners will undoubtedly hear their own 2020 experiences in the lyrics. But to me it’s just waking up, pouring the coffee, petting the cat, and enjoying the silence.”
“After Coffee” is Joywave’s first project in just over a year since their release of their third album, Possession, on March 13, 2020 — the day the pandemic officially took over and the world came to a standstill. This past year has been the first time the band has experienced extensive alone time since the release of their debut album, 2015’s How Do You Feel Now? Since their debut, the band has received accolade after accolade, winning hearts with their hit “Destruction,” appearing in festivals alongside the likes of Bastille and Young The Giant, and continuing to earn streams with their feature on the platinum-certified “Dangerous.” Fans of any groups from Saint Motel to Coast Modern will come to love Joywave for their lush soundscapes, genuine lyricism and overall good vibes.
