Disco grooves, steel drums, and shimmering synths wash out the bad vibes in the newest single from the bedroom pop musician’s upcoming EP.
Existential dread fills the corners of “Lately,” an infectious pop outing from Mouthsounds, the solo outfit of Daniel Howie, former frontperson of Sugar Glyder. The loss of innocence, fall of government, and an all-around paranoia fill his lyrics throughout each verse, contrasting the largely smooth and appealing production of the track itself.
“I have a lot of creative guilt about surviving and thriving the last 1.5 years – Lately, I’m grateful, happy, and more focused than ever on the things that matter most. Releasing this single as a precursor to the next EP (already written) – that will continue to explore the creative space modern life has afforded.” – Daniel Howie
Indeed, the 90s club throwback essence of “Lately” calls to mind an altogether different end of an era, now seeded into the inevitable appropriation of style in our modern culture- the aesthetics and sounds of that seemingly more innocent time are utilized in our modern age both in reverence and escapism. With “Lately,” they tap into an uncanny valley of sorts, underlying the regret and longing in the hook’s “It’s not my fault” both tonally and sonically, catapulting the listener into familiar territory that doesn’t quite feel the same. The vocal processing throughout the verses aptly distorts Mouth Sounds’ voice into a Ween-like garble, but his beautiful, Erasure-like vocal range comes to play in force when the chorus kicks in. “Lately” is an absolute pleasure of a track, full of depth and mood, and succeeds heartily in its ambitions. Before the EP comes out in 2022, you can listen to “Lately” wherever you stream music!