Single Review: Wild Beasts – ‘Wanderlust’
2 min read
Wild Beasts is a little indie band from Kendel, England who have come a long way from their self-titled debut EP in 2004. To bring in the New Year the Wild Beasts show off their latest single Wanderlust. Labels such as indie-pop, post-punk and art rock are tossed around when describing the band’s music, but now we seem them in an almost dream-pop phase.
Wanderlust brings out more of an ambient sound in the Wild Beast’s music. The song opens like it’s coming from an 80’s cassette player, and the sort of nostalgic atmosphere is continued in the rest of the song. This is noticeable from the cooing of the back up vocals, the rumbling of the synths and mellowing vocals.
Hayden Thorpe’s vocals have definitely calmed down over the years, as the once was energetic and wild pitches from their first single Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants has turned into a rather deep and at times brooding voice. Thorpe had even done what was described as a ‘depressing’ rendition of Q Lazzarus’ Goodbye Horses with Jon Hopkins.
But it’s the strong vocals that makes it work amongst all the atmospheric sounds. And seeing the variety in band’s music shows that they’ve really progressed from when they started. Wanderlust is definitely a side of the Wild Beasts that hasn’t been seen before.
This is the first single from the band’s latest album Present Tense, being released on the 24th of February through Domino. And with that in mind, it seems like it’s the boys are ready to blow us away.
