Wylde – ICM’s Artist Spotlight
I’m always desperate for more psychedelic and shoegaze artists. An interest that sparked with My Bloody Valentine only got solidified with the whole 90s shoegaze scene. Then came the modern acts bringing shoegaze back in all its glory with bands like one of our previous Artist Spotlights Vinyl Staircase. So I was overjoyed to find Scottish four-piece Wylde clawing their way through the cracks.
Wylde are an act completely immersed in the genre. Their shoegazey post-punk nature derives sounds from the 90s shoegaze movement and bands like DIIV. Their sound is self-described as “dark and intertwining reverb, chorus drenched guitars and untamed feedback” which is not only a gorgeous audible image but better than anything I could write about them.
The band sit on two singles on Spotify with ‘Human’ and ‘How’. The group also have an extra track ‘Siren’ on their Bandcamp; acting as the other A-Side to ‘Human’.
‘Siren’ is a power hungry song filled with unbridled psych energy and really shows the DIIV influences. Its guitars are reverbed to the end of the world and the raucous drums keep up the energy to carry you through this incredible track. At one point during ‘Siren’, it’s let free with what sounds like a scream from the lead singer, a device I pray the band utilise more in the future as it gave me goosebumps.
The other side of the double single, ‘Human’ gives us a beautiful change of pace. A slower build up of bass and simple drum taps leads us into a catchy atmospheric pair of guitar riffs. At its peak, ‘Human’ draws you into a state of complete immersion which is an incredible skill backed up by the almost Florence and the Machine vibes from the lead singer.
Wylde certainly have a lot to live up to in their genre and their influences but there’s so much potential shown in their few releases that I can help but make them Artist Spotlight.
WYLDE ARE:
Guitars: Robbie Broome / Monica Anderson
Bass: Chloe Duenas
Drums: Jamie Walker
Vocals: Monica Anderson
Featured image by Gregor McAdam