Pairing former Blur alumni Graham Coxon with The Pipettes’ own Rose Elinor Dougall is a fascinating pairing. Their work under the banner of The Waeve is as atmospheric as expected, and that should be no surprise to those that have followed their work. What is a surprise though is the quality and appearance of their latest track, Drowning, a six-minute epic that sets a new mark of what is to come for the two-piece. Etheral qualities push through on a soundscape piece of art rock that holds firm as a reliable, resistant atmospheric piece that staggers through a range of emotionally stringent qualities. Nothing less should be expected from the most interesting member of Blur and the most defiant member of The Pipettes.
Their pairing, as a result, is a quality one. The Waeve will hopefully muster up the courage to be a complete and fulfilled project. If Drowning is any indicator, then Coxon and Dougall are on the right track. Much of this piece is Dougall dominated, with shifty, floaty vocals powering through with a great instrumental backing underscoring it all. Coxon shifts it to the next gear toward the end of the track, a lyrical simplicity but vocal changeover that stays consistent with the track and its desire to push through as an atmospheric bit of art pop. Much of Drowning feels to be that of a teaser for what is to come. A quality single that hints at what will surround it when The Waeve drop their self-titled piece next year. It is right around the corner, and for now, Drowning is the standout track.
Intimate chimes that open the track are, by the end of Drowning, completely flushed with synth-like saxophone chokes and a repetition of the title. There is an immediate scope that pushes through with Coxon and Dougall’s work here. Its title may be somewhat obvious, but the scope of the opening verse and Dougall’s part in the lyrics for Drowning is monumental. Art rock without the rock at times, the “fearless rhythms of existence” flow through and are adapted with a swift clarity and technical range like no other. There is a trust in the lyrics to stand out alone from the instrumental moments. Both have their place and are unique in what they achieve. Instrumentals on Drowning are expansive and broad, but they give time to understand and meditate on the lyrics before it. It really is quite wonderful.
Considering how swiftly Coxon and Dougall work, it is somewhat surprising to see them take on a melancholic, art-rock perspective. Especially Coxon, who comes into The Waeve off of the back of Superstate, an art pop, disco album that does feel somewhat different to the rising build and explosion of string quartets found on Drowning. Always on the move, it would seem, like a shark or Bob Dylan. Either way, Coxon and Dougall cement Drowning as a sickly, immediately present piece that grips the attention with its art rock sympathies, but holds that focus with some bitter lyrics of lost loves and that drowning sensation. Dark, murky and quality, the big three that The Waeve has managed to hit upon with relative ease.
