A dark, grunge-y outpouring of intimate anguish and turmoil in an increasingly chaotic world, Analog Party’s new song “Riptide” is a subversive, heavy anthem for the helpless and restless, the anxious and depressed.
Stream: “Riptide” – Analog Party
There are any number of reasons to feel hopeless in 2022: From COVID-19 and monkeypox (and polio?!) to the increasingly urgent climate crisis and the United States’ ever-increasing political polarization, life feels more turbulent, and just more difficult and complex to navigate, than ever before. And then there are all the things going on in our personal lives, on top of these global, existential (and very, very real) issues. It’s overwhelming, nauseating, and utterly depressing.
At least it feels good to know we’re not alone.
Alternative rock duo Analog Party may not offer any answers to our litany of problems, but they do offer a sanctuary of cathartic release in their latest single. A dark, grunge-y outpouring of intimate anguish and turmoil in an increasingly chaotic world, “Riptide” is a subversive, heavy anthem for the helpless and restless, the anxious and depressed.
Hey, gotta be talking about somebody else
Dodging bullets every night in your crossfire
Replaying times it should have been you
Walking out on the dock
Instead I got hurt
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering the single and animated music video for “Riptide” (ft. Final Child), Analog Party’s first single of 2022 (independently out August 4). The Los Angeles duo of singer/multi-instrumentalist Animaan Pathak and bassist/guitarist Charles Horin, Analog Party have steadily been establishing themselves as an alt-rock force over the past three years.
2019’s multi-dimensional debut EP Model Youth remains a worthwhile listen for any hard rock fan, as do their three other singles “Absolution,” “One,” and “Blind Driver,” but there’s no mistaking the feverish, fresh energy permeating “Riptide.” A particularly dark portrait with just a few sparks of light, Analog Party channel bands like The Cure, Sonic Youth, and Failure in an atmospheric and multi-textural song brimming with dark guitars, ethereal synths, pulsing bass and drums, and achingly emotional, deeply evocative vocals. Co-produced by Matt McJunkins (A Perfect Circle, Poppy), “Riptide” might very well be Analog Party’s most intense song yet.
With the mantra, “rip the tide up, gotta rip the tide up” on repeat in the chorus, Analog Party inject into their song a sense of angst, urgency, and an existential need for release. Together with guest vocalist Jennifer Akerman (a.k.a Final Child), Analog Party’s Animaan Pathak sings of a familiar and relatable inner struggle.
As he explains, this song is quite a long time coming.
“I recorded the original demo during the earliest days in lockdown,” Pathak tells Atwood Magazine. “Once I shared the track with Jennifer and she put down her amazing vocal performance, I knew the song was a keeper. We worked on finishing the bridge and about half the lyrics together, which was a new process for me as I’ve never collaborated on lyrics with anyone else before.”
“It wasn’t originally intended to be a song for Analog Party, because of how different it was compared to our previous material. The guitars are less heavy and riff-oriented and serve more of a textural purpose, while there’s also more synth work on this track than we’ve put down on any song prior. The bass and drum grooves are very straightforward; we were sort of going for a hypnotic, ’70s krautrock vibe.”
“Eventually, we decided to throw any preconceptions about our sound out the window — working with Matt in the studio was definitely a guiding factor in that. He pushed us to approach things unconventionally, and broadened our idea of what the band could be. With ‘Riptide’ we feel creatively liberated. It opened a door to explore so many more sounds and moods moving forward. It definitely marks a fresh chapter for us.”
Hey, what if I’m the one who gets hurt?
Staring at you drown, but I can’t read your eyes now
Stuck in a room inside my head
I can’t go without freedom
Be sure to lock the door on your way out
Rip the tide up, gotta rip the tide up…
In an otherwise dark and depressing environment, Pathak and Akerman’s vocals are a source of light and beauty. The pair trade verses, each bringing their own charisma to the table while coming together every so often to create a wondrous moment of harmony and connection. Considering the desperation and sheer disconnect evoked throughout “Riptide,” this brief unity is especially moving, and makes the song that much more compelling as a whole.
Finding that human connection has been especially meaningful for Analog Party these past few years. “It’s been really important for us to not only get out and perform as many shows as possible post-lockdown, but also to build a community of like-minded musicians,” the band’s Charles Horin says. “We’ve made friends with many other local bands over the past couple years, and we all rely on one another for support in putting shows together. Ironically, the pandemic galvanized a stronger sense of camaraderie between bands here.”
Road ahead undone
Gotta get your hands dirty babe
Don’t you fade away
It’s not like I want you sane
Gotta find my lone way home
(Heading down that road undone)
Sick of lacking self-control all the time
Gotta find your own way out into my light
In here I thought I was safe
Now I see it’s no better at keeping me together
Rip the tide up, gotta rip the tide up…
It’s that sense of togetherness, community, and camaraderie that helps us get through our darkest moments, like those depicted in “Riptide.” When we’re down, it’s the people around us who are going to be there to lift us back up and help us shine.
Stream Analog Party’s alluring new single and their Boy Tilikens-directed music video exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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Stream: “Riptide” – Analog Party
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