Wild Nothing teases his upcoming EP ‘Laughing Gas’ with the release of buzzy, synth-pop inspired “Foyer.”
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Stream: “Foyer” – Wild Nothing
It may be a new year, but Wild Nothing is serving up the same dream-pop goodness that got us all hooked on his sound in the first place. Wild Nothing kicked off 2020 by teasing his upcoming EP Laughing Gas with the release of “Foyer.” The track is classic Wild Nothing: Spell-binding, otherworldly, vague yet somehow still niche. Apparently influenced by synth-pop, the song gives listeners a glimpse of what’s to come with the release of Laughing Gas on January 31.
Jack Tatum, the voice behind Wild Nothing, revealed the inspiration behind the EP’s title in a statement in which he said, “I think of the EP’s title as being representative of a kind of manufactured bliss and loss of control. So much of people’s lives are caught up in the quest for wholeness and sometimes it feels so much easier to loosen our grip through these fabricated shortcuts, whether it’s escapism, self-medication, seeking external validation or any number of other things.”
Clearing a space for you,
foyer to my chest
Everything in its place,
waiting for you to get dressed
They say it gets easier, is it true?
Spiral down the sink drain into you
The track, which is roughly four minutes in length, has a long intro in which Tatum sonically sets the stage for the rest of the song. It’s synthy, and feels loosely inspired by an arcade with its buzzy, techy instrumentals. Tatum opens the song with, “Clearing a space for you, foyer to my chest, everything in its place, waiting for you to get dressed.” Here, he introduces a scenario in this dreamworld that the song lives in. It’s unclear exactly who the person he’s “waiting for…to get dressed” is to him, but it’s clear they’re significant. He follows up with a question, “They say it gets easier, is it true?” The question is rhetorical and doesn’t get answered, but gives the listener something to think about. Tatum goes on to provide some imagery that shows their connection with the lyric, “Spiral down the sink drain into you.”
How can I be sure of it?
Memorize the taste of it
The song changes its tempo as Tatum asks, “How can I be sure of it? Memorize the taste of it.” Posing another question, it becomes obvious that with “Foyer,” Tatum is more insistent upon wondering than finding out, as he doesn’t appear to have answers for any of his questions. Perhaps this is what he was referring to when he mentioned in his statement that, “… Ultimately, I think this EP finds me in a place of trying to go easier on myself.” It’s possible that part of Tatum going easier on himself is not needing all the answers.
Refill your shopping cart, ice to numb the pain
Oranges and vitamins, change you can obtain
View from the vanity, is that you?
Wrapped up in the bed sheets, is that you?
The second verse describes another clip of a scenario that characterizes the person the song is about. “Refill your shopping cart, ice to numb the pain, oranges and vitamins, change you can obtain,” he sings. There’s something intriguing about the idea of the person at a grocery store with a cart full of ice, oranges, and vitamins, or as Tatum describes it, “change you can obtain.” The person seems to be making a commitment to taking better care of themselves, with “ice to numb the pain” and “oranges and vitamins,” two health staples (oranges are known for being an excellent source of vitamin C). Tatum goes back to his ponderings, asking two questions with the next pair of lyrics: “View from the vanity, is that you? // Wrapped up in the bed sheets, is that you?” The song is fascinating for the slivers of scenarios that it provides the listener: We don’t get too information much about its muse, only fragments of situations that characterize this individual. It’s slightly puzzling, yet ties the song together perfectly.
Lyrically, the song is minimalistic and lets the cinematic, synth inspired instrumental garner most of the attention. ‘Foyer’ is a dreamy, mesmerizing invitation to enter Tatum’s dream world where evading answers is celebrated and questions are allowed – even encouraged – to remain as such.
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Stream: “Foyer” – Wild Nothing
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Tue. May 19 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk (outside) *
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