Longtime musical acquaintances Evan Linger and Julia Gaeta joined forces after cutting their teeth in various metal and punk scenes and their varied projects. During the chaos of the pandemic, the pair, now based in Europe, bonded over their American roots and mutual musical interests. Their collaboration, Dreamwheel, is a light, introspective mishmash of influences. There are elements of Cocteau Twins in Gaeta’s ethereal delivery, with the icy strength of Siouxsie and the complex melodies of Chameleons. You can also hear strong elements of Lush, Slowdive, and Jesus and Mary Chain echoing through their sound.
Dreamwheel’s lush new single, “Wild Days”, is a floating tapestry of dripping arpeggios, soaring vocals, and driving rhythms. This was the first song that came together for Dreamwheel at the start of the second wave of lockdowns in Europe. The song is timely as it is timeless: Gaeta’s whimsical yet ever-present vocals swirl amidst Linger’s urgent guitars, resulting in a singular blend that draws from the ethereal loneliness of shoegaze, the romantic hooks of new wave, and the cathartic attack of post-punk.
“Wild Days is about time slipping through your fingers,” says Gaeta. “We wanted to try to evoke the combination of lightness of carefree years with the heaviness that comes with realizing they don’t last.”
“I’m writing songs that layer guitar, bass, and synth parts to create a dizzying and playful environment for Julia’s melancholy vocals,” adds Linger. “I want to create a dreamy tapestry that has the listener getting something new out of it with each listen. The minimal/retro approach is lockstep nowadays, but we want to paint a more lush picture.”
Listen to Wild Days below:
