Day Wave – In session – Huw Stephens – BBC Radio 1 – November 2015 – BBC Radio 1
Ending the week with Day Wave – a taste of Indie-Pop from Oakland by way of Maida Vale Studios in London for Huw Stephens at BBC Radio 1 in November of 2015.
Day Wave is an American indie rock band from Oakland, California, formed in 2015. The band’s studio output consists solely of Jackson Phillips, with accompanying musicians for live performances. The band released their debut EP Headcase in 2015. Day Wave’s songs have received attention in number of prominent publications including the Los Angeles Times and Billboard, and the band opened for Blonde Redhead during their fall 2016 tour.
In November 2016, Day Wave signed onto Harvest Records and released the single “Wasting Time”. The song “Hard to Read” appears in 2016 video game Watch Dogs 2. In February 2017, Day Wave announced its debut album, The Days We Had, which was released on May 5, 2017. Phillips relocated to the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles in early 2017. Like on his earlier EPs, Phillips recorded straight to tape on his full-length debut.
The touring members of Day Wave include brothers Henry Moser (bass) and Jack Moser (keyboard/synth) as well as Nick de Ryss (drums), and Alex Lasner (guitar).
In April 2015, KCRW premiered “Drag” on its blog, and dj Jason Bentley went on to play the track during his “Morning Becomes Eclectic Show.” Soon, Sirius Alt Nation and Sirius XMU added the song with Zane Lowe spinning it during the launch of his Beats 1 show. Over 3 million cumulative Soundcloud plays later, Day Wave’s independent Headcase EP followed, and Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed, The Fader, Stereogum, and Noisey sung Jackson’s praises. In between touring with the likes of Albert Hammond Jr. and Blonde Redhead, he penned his second EP, Hard To Read.
Once again, Jackson played every instrument, produced, mixed, and mastered, even recorded directly to tape. His one-man methodology yields a singular sound where ethereal vocals glide over celestial guitars awash with subtle synths, building an entrancing and enticing sonic milieu. It soundtracks his own personal narrative.
The first single “Gone” taps directly into that cinematic expanse with its clean guitar melody, immediately hypnotic hook, and airy delivery about being deprived of whatever it is that keeps you grounded.
The lithe six-string strum of “Stuck” gives way to a delicate melody that’s as magnetic as it is majestic. It reflects the all too identifiable feeling of getting stuck in your own head. Whether it’s the buzzing urgency of “Deadbeat Girl” or the spacey ponderousness of “You,” Day Wave instantly captivates.
The Berklee College of Music graduate constantly challenges himself to evolve. Whether it’s learning multiple instruments or immersing himself in production, he keeps pushing himself to connect.
“I want people to hear Day Wave and feel the same feeling I get when I listen to the music I love,” he leaves off. “It gives you an emotional response—whether that’s sadness, nostalgia, or happiness. That’s what I try to create. If I can give that feeling to other people, it’s working.”
To get a better idea, have a listen to his first BBC session in 2015.
