Today, Electric Youth have released “ARAWA,” their second single from upcoming album Memory Emotion, and it is indeed as brilliant as you’d expect.
“ARAWA” means “As Restless As We Are” and it is a laid-back, Linn Drum-driven, synth-drenched work of beauty that sounds like a serene counterpoint to the brilliant, darkly kinetic lead single and album opener, “The Life,” which Electric Youth (Austin Garrick and Bronwyn Griffin) released in May.
The cut walks along with an easygoing resolve — its abundant synths moving in waves of warm bliss as Griffin’s transcendent vocals glide effortlessly through the mix. The track shines with a sunny sophisti-pop that invokes a blend of Roxy Music and Brian Wilson, but is nevertheless an Electric Youth number. It’s the duo taking the sound for which they’ve become known and loved, and building something new and fresh from it. It’s beautiful.
The lyrics offer a juxtaposition to that, seemingly discussing the upending nature of the cycle of life — a force that, though turbulent, offers a comfortable resolve in the end. Or, at least, that’s what it seems to me.
Memory Emotion comes out on Aug. 9 via Last Gang Records in some territories and via Electric Youth’s own Watts Arcade in others. Vehlinggo readers can expect an in-depth interview with Garrick and Griffin around the time of release.
For more information on Electric Youth, check out these interviews on Vehlinggo:
- In 2016 I interviewed Garrick and Griffin for my big piece on the fifth anniversary of the Drive.
- I also interviewed them in an in-depth fashion in 2017, around the time they released Breathing, their soundtrack to a lost film.
- Additionally, in 2018 I interviewed Garrick for the 10th anniversary of College’s Secret Diary LP as part of my Valerie Stories series.
- And, as mentioned above, in August there will be a new interview tied to Memory Emotion.
If you’re in the New York area, there’s a special Electric Youth show happening on Aug. 17 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are on sale right now. A wider-scale tour is tentatively planned for Spring/Summer 2020.
Electric Youth – ‘Memory Emotion’ Tracklist
1. “The Life”
2. “ARAWA”
3. “Breathless”
4. “Real Ones”
5. “On My Own”
6. “Higher”
7. “thirteen”
8. “Evergreen 143″
9. “Now Now”
10. “Through the same eyes”
11. “Memory Emotion (Outro)”
Electric Youth – ‘ARAWA’ Lyrics
These are from the official YouTube page for “ARAWA.”
[Verse 1]
When the heat is on
You can’t be there for long
But the seas roll on
So we’re staying until dawn
And if the feelings wrong
We can find a different song
When the heat is strong
No sense in holding on
[Pre-Chorus]
Afraid to appear selfish
I lose myself sometimes
Afraid to appear selfish
I lose myself sometimes
[Chorus]
But as restless as we are
We’ll see another day
And as restless as we are
We can find another way
As a change is taking place
Nothing seems the same
And if we make it down this road
We can make it all the way
To California 1
[Post-Chorus]
California 1
California 1
[Verse 2]
And its been so long
They said it’s coming on
And the trees are gone
With the flames that took the fawn
But she grows, she grows again
Always resilient
Such a sentimental warmth
In this hostile atmosphere
[Pre-Chorus]
Afraid to appear selfish
I lose myself sometimes
Afraid to appear selfish
I lose myself sometimes
[Chorus]
But as restless as we are
We’ll see another day
And as restless as we are
We can find another way
As a change is taking place
Nothing seems the same
And if we make it down this road
We can make it all the way
To California 1
[Post-Chorus]
California 1
California 1
Album of the summer?