I receive a steady stream of tracks to review to the point where I can only get to write about a small proportion. So the track that comes through has to tickle my ears (and also have the fortune to arrive when I have a ‘space’), and one such comes from London/Kent/South East based In Waves and their debut track Head Above Water.

I love the genre bending in Head Above Water. I kind of get a vibe within In Waves running back through to that blend of rock, pop and rap, where the instinct is to pursue a bloody good catchy hook that sounds great, and then the meatier sensibilities of someone like Kasiabian and The Neighbourhood with a strong foundation underlying it all.

In Waves are one of those bands where you really need to know what’s gonna be coming next and what direction their creative talent will flow towards.

While the In Waves 5 piece are launching Head Above Water as a debut single, I know the guys also have a solid past in music, and that explains why Head Above Water has such a solid and established sound.

Musically there’s an interesting mix of rap and 808 beats, quality pop, meaty hard guitar riffs, and just that great sense of what sounds right.

Head Above Water has a good positive life affirming lyric which settles well against the frantic energy in the song. Life can be tough man but all will be OK and just it keep going. It feels like the track I’d describing that ‘pause’ moment when there’s a sudden point of clarity which comes through during a stressful episode.

London types need some consolation for living with £7+ a pint prices, and one of them is the Sebright Arms. In Waves have a release launch gig there on 12 July. It sounds like it will be a memory keeper. Get to it, London peeps.

Chris R

* images taken from the band’s social media