Alt-Duo Wayside Release Raw New Single "Half Nelson" | THE NOISE
photo by Cian Marangos
Wayside continues to push the genre boundary with the release of their latest single, "Half Nelson." The duo, composed of Thomas Davenport and Josh Ehmer, deliver a track full of raw energy, deliberately flexing new music muscles that show their capabilities as ever-evolving artists.
The single opens with hard-hitting guitar riffs, thrumming basslines, and driving percussion that emulates the chaos of a brewing storm. Davenport's earthy vocals croon in the calm of the instrumentation, "Live a little, Die a lot/ Up a level, Control your mind." Verses of existentialism lead into seething collages of raging production and addictively catchy hooks, creating an ebb and flow that's equal parts hypnotizing and dynamic.
"'Half Nelson' was a fun one for us as we haven't really written a song like it. It's almost a nod to the Freak Show era of Silverchair," Davenport explains. "Lyrically, it came from a place of feeling frustrated with the world and the way it all works. Sometimes it feels like we have to ignore our natural instincts and just fall in line."
The single will be featured on the band's upcoming album, What Does Your Soul Look Like, out November 10. The forthcoming collection, brought to life with Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip, is a mesmerizing statement of an album that aims to blur the lines between ethereal, soft shoe gaze and intense post-hardcore and grunge. So far, they've shown this duality across several singles from the album, including their previous releases, "Parallax Error" and "Safe Forever."
Sonically, there are moments on "Safe Forever" that are heavier than anything Wayside has made before, borrowing elements from the nu-metal they both grew up loving. It is fitting, as it explores the premature loss of a loved one battling illness for years, but for Davenport, the only way to make peace with that was knowing that they'd no longer be in pain. "We wanted the verses and choruses to almost feel relieving, as atmospheric and dreamy as possible," he explains. "Finally, somewhere safe."
Be sure to check out Wayside's latest single, "Half Nelson," today!
