Wakelee Release Self-Titled Debut

By Phil Hawkins

Maybe it is the time of year or maybe it is just my soul yearning for a long late night drive with the windows down and the radio turned up. Either way, there is something about the self-titled debut from Wakelee that makes it a fitting soundtrack for said drive.

Wakelee formed in Brooklyn in 2019 and consists of identical twins Alex (vocals/guitar) and David Bulmer (drums) and Elliot Shiang (vocals/bass). They met at a friend’s show in New York and immediately bonded over Halal food and Indie music. They have since released an EP and a healthy batch of emo-tinged singles leading up to their self-titled debut (April 14th).

Wakelee wastes no time diving straight in to the thick of it as the album kicks off with “Plinko” which is a solid and light-hearted opener to the album. To same it may seem simplistic, but the simplicity is where the brilliance is found. It’s not overly inundated with effects and keeps it mostly “clean” in a musical aspect. It is this purity that breathes a unique perspective in to the album as a whole. “Tug of War” and “Outside” follow and play to similar strengths with “Tug of War” utilizing some effects that seem fairly mild in comparison to what other bands seem to be doing currently.

“Mood Rings” keeps a solid energy with a sense of fun and more light-heartedness that has been woven throughout the album so far. Some of the more intricate parts really stand out on the track, such as the vocal harmonies that are layered and airy fitting the musical aesthetic perfectly. “Nighttime Car Ride” lives up to it’s namesake as it is the perfect track for just the event (and maybe adds to why I want to take one and listen to this album at full volume). “No Muscles” is slight change of tempo and is a bit quirky lyrically in comparison to the rest of the album thus far. It still plays it close to the light-hearted side of things and manages to incorporate some other musical elements that add to the quirkiness. “Everything Under the Sun” feels like a bigger more atmospheric track with the instrumental layering that seems a bit more complex than what has been experienced so far, but if you listen closely you’ll notice that it less complex and more intricately woven to create it’s atmosphere.

“Radio Silence” is another quirky track, but it allows the bass to take more of a forward placement that mixes things up a bit and keeps the album from becoming repetitive or stagnant. “Arcade” which clocks at 1:10 feels more like a filler than an actual track, but the placement gives a nice “intermission” of sorts before moving in to the final act. “Stuck In My Old Ways,” “Linoleum” and “Texas” round out the album and are great additions to the album as whole. They don’t deviate much from the rest of the album, but that is not a bad thing as they incorporate everything good about the album. “Texas” closes out the album with a more acoustic driven approach that fits nicely closing out the album.

Ultimately, Wakelee is a solidly fun and light-hearted album. It plays it safe by sticking to the it’s strengths and doesn’t try to cover “new ground.” The band knows what they are about and they deliver an album that is worthy of being placed on rotation as we enter the summer season.

Wakelee is available now on all major streaming and digital platforms or you can order a copy on vinyl through their webstore.