NYC trio The Wants showcase a gritty blend of post-punk and nu-wave on ‘Data Tumor’.
Taken from the upcoming sophomore album Bastard, due June 13th, the new single bridges the intense math-rock-come-atmospheric-indie urgency of their 2020 debut Container with broader and more cinematic soundscape.
Tight live drums, accentuated by little drum machine flourishes and surrounded by a fizzing bass synth, the track creates a nu-wave feel under the commanding lead vocals. As the track grows, jagged guitar lines become more prominent, pulling the track towards a more post-punk oriented feel before reaching a climactic close of intricate rhythms and overlapping melodies.
As comparable to Radiohead as it is to the likes of Congratulations, Depeche Mode and Talking heads, the track brings a dark and unnerving undertone to a bright and vibrant instrumental palette.
Built on a foundation of live, analog performances and raw digital manipulation, ‘Data Tumor’ finds frontman Madison Velding-VanDam exploring a fractured inner world in the face of a digitized society. Over haunting synths and a pounding rhythm section, his vocals teeter between detachment and intensity—culminating in a climactic, distorted guitar solo that pays homage to Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi.
“‘Data Tumor’ inhabits the psychological push and pull of trying to assert individuality in a world intent on commodifying and distorting it,” vocalist Madison Velding-VanDam explains. “The faceless collective of information and stimuli incentivizes the surrender of personal agency. Choices have to be made or they are made for you.”
The track offers a second glimpse into Bastard – the band describes the record as blurring the line between irony and sincerity: “Many songs on Bastard embody a character or voice that is meant to observe and reflect an experience, but not necessarily make a judgement about it. The resulting tone oscillates between earnest and acerbic, not quite serious but not joking, either.”
Keep an eye out for the upcoming album and listen to the new single below:
