Liverpool is known for having a successful music scene, right from The Beatles to more recently The Zutons, however never before has Liverpool had a band that sound like this 4 piece. Wave Machines are a unique but brilliant, currently riding high in the indie world with their debut singe ‘I Go I Go I Go’ and judging by this album are set for big things. The band have produced a debut album that is eclectic in every sense of the word, if you want something to dance to, something to smooch to or even something to relax to, Wave if your’re really there encapsulates all of those styles and more.
Album opener ‘You say the stupidest things’ a song about peoples and their addictions, is a repetitive confusing concoction of loops, percussion and guitar that builds and builds as instrument after instrument is added to the growing cacophony of noise, the noise however is extremely pleasant and strangely entrancing. Lead vocalist Tim Bruzon sings ‘The day is wasted if your not wasted, cos out your face is the best of places, the best of places’ Razor-sharp lyrics, the first of many fantastic lines that are scattered through the album.
Debut single ‘I Go I Go I Go’ is one of the stand-out tracks on the album. A tune that takes all the best bits of commercial pop, adds a bit of the Wave Machines magic and the result is a day-glo, electronic-laden track with an uplifting rhythm that is a guaranteed to have you up and dancing. While not the most lyrically brilliant song, it would be wrong to think this was why this song was created, it’s simply about letting go and having a good time whilst doing it.
‘Punk Spirit’ is another absolute masterpiece and once again has Bruzon delivering witty lyrics as he tells of an argument ‘I broke the neck on my guitar, and told you how it’s going to be, and later when you left the room, I whispered you can fucking die’. This track deserves particular mention for the use of Bruzon’s almost Orvil the bird style falsetto vocals (listen to it, you will understand). Starting off decidedly mellow the song builds into a harmony filled dream as the band sing of how they imagine they won an argument which they actually walked away from. The also includes some rather impressive drum patterns from band member Vidar, thanks to his time spent in the Norwegian Army, during national service.
For all those who are expecting some typical Liverpool indie the band do pander to that audience somewhat with album title track ‘Wave if you’re really there’ thanks only to its more prominent use of conventional drums and sounds, it is still very much Wave Machines however, and it’s fragment drum patterns and electronic chord progressions give it a serene dreamlike quality.
‘Wave if you’re really there’ is without a doubt a brilliant debut album and should secure the band a place in the hearts and minds of many music lovers world wide. The band have been making waves across the music scene for a while now yet never had quite enough to prove they had what it takes to be big. This is proof, Wave Machines are and will be the future.