Those Were The Days

Day Wave - The Days We Had [DAYWAVE 2 UK 2017 FLAC]

Day Wave’s debut full length album is satisfyingly well done. Jackson Phillips’ solo project goes for a dream pop sound reminiscent of Wild Nothing and Pity Sex, and effortlessly accomplishes it. Every element present on The Days We Had adds to the nostalgic sound of the record. The airy synths throughout the album, the subtle ‘oh-oh’-sounds on opener Something Here, the upbeat catchiness of the melodies on Promises - it’s all incredibly well placed. Due to the vocals being relatively low in the mix, Phillips’ voice sounds more like an instrument than anything else. Much like the record itself, the lyrics on The Days We Had are often vaguely straightforward, with a hint of nostalgia.

The Days We Had is not an incredibly unique or creative record. This is not as much a problem as it is an observation; with a record this beautiful, there is little reason to innovate. The instrumental Bloom is perhaps the most experimental song and only adds to the soothing atmosphere of the album. The Days We Had is the sonic equivalent of words like ‘pleasant’ or ‘comforting’, and will satisfy any fan of dreamy formulaic indie rock. We haven't much from Jackson since, perhaps he has gone back to his day job.

01 Something Here
02 Home
03 Ordinary
04 Untitled
05 Bloom
06 On Your Side
07 Bring You Down
08 Wasting Time
09 Promises
10 Disguise
11 I'm Still Here