The WAEVE reflect on love and life in “City Lights”
The WAEVE have become some of my favorite musical pioneers of this day and age. Their musical influences range from jazz to that ‘90s rock sound we know Graham Coxon so well for. The WAEVE is the creative project of Coxon, also known for his work with Blur, and his wife Rose Elinor Dougall. The duo are back with their second album, City Lights.
“City Lights” is an exquisite album opener. It’s electric through and through; the bass, the vocals, and of course the stunning horns pull the song together in a rather elegant way. Something about the distorted guitars is addictive and makes you want to take a look inside of their world. “Those city lights / They belong to me / You're in my soul, in my soul / Take me over to the other side, now,” Coxon sings, with harmonies sung by Dougall. Sometimes I stumble upon songs that really just seem to capture the lightning, per se. “City Lights” is exactly that: it’s interesting and engaging while being, most importantly, fun.
Dougall’s ethereal voice woos the listener in the beginning of “You Saw” before jumping right into a fuzzy arrangement. I adore how prominent the bass is in their music; it doesn’t get lost in the mix and makes itself known. The track speaks of letting go of the past and falling into love. Coxon and Dougall sing back and forth to each other, almost as a conversation.
There’s so many elements to their music, but the way in which they play with texture is unique. Mixing distortion with smooth horns makes for something your ears become addicted to. “Moth to the Flame” has a vaguely 80s sound, the synth and percussion making it feel like something from a time before me. Perfecting a sound that can honor the past while still pushing the boundaries of the future is admirable. “I Belong to…” opens with a deep and haunting string arrangement that, again, makes for an interesting texture. It’s slow and a little dreamlike in some parts as Coxon sings with Dougall. There seems to be a deeper understanding of what it means to be in love on this album, even just four songs in. “I will always be there when you need me, now / Cause I'm not made of stone / You skip through my mind / Happy tonight, cause I belong to...”
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“Simple Days” blends what sounds like some elements of soft jazz with a little bit of shoegaze, and that in combination with Dougall’s ethereal voice makes for the most dreamy song. “Finally I've found some peace / Just being with you.” It almost feels like a sigh of relief, like letting yourself fall into something safe and comfortable. But, speed is picked up again on “Broken Boys”, opening with a fast-paced and heavily distorted riff that sweeps you right off your feet. There’s so many things going on, and again they combine different elements in interesting ways. There’s still some of that 80s synth, but in combination with guitar that, appropriately, sounds Blur-like. Dougall’s “Oh, god!” is the cherry on top, giving it an edge of sarcasm.
The duo recently welcomed a child into their lives, and “Song For Eliza May” is in dedication to her. It starts off sort of like a lullaby, “Child of mine, how will you make your way through this world?” The first half I can feel Dougall in so strongly, but as it transitions to the second half, Coxon makes himself known. They interweave themselves throughout the track in a brilliant way. Their talents were truly meant to be displayed together, and not only that, but when their little girl grows up she’ll have this beautiful song to hold onto forever.
The instrumentals in “Druantia” take me back to feeling like I’m in a jazz club, but then Dougall begins singing, and I’m floating within the waves (or waeves) that her voice creates. I’ve mentioned it a lot, but her voice is incredibly unique and perfect for the type of music she and Coxon make. It pulls everything together. “Girl of the Endless Night” is simple in all of its complexity. There’s a sense of letting go intertwined with the hopefulness of moving forward, as reflected in both the instrumentals and the lyrics.
And the closer, “Sunrise.” I love songs that hold some element of power that takes you over as a full-body experience. Actually, almost to the point where you’re floating out of your body. When Dougall sings, “Why does the sun rise / For us, not them? / Why does the sun rise / For us, not them?” that’s exactly what happened. It’s soft in the jazzy way I’ve come to adore on this project, while absolutely showcasing the mastery of the duo in every regard. The precision and perfection they’ve achieved is no easy feat, and it’s an excellent way to close out the album.
What I truly enjoyed about this project is that it was in no rush. Every tiny puzzle piece had purpose, but it was never trying to be something it’s not. Each song took it’s time, no matter how fast the tempo actually was, and I appreciate that. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of music that sounds vaguely like something else, or is trying to be something else. The WAEVE are nothing but themselves, and they’ve gone above and beyond to show the world what they have to offer on City Lights.
