The American underground might be the most vibrant national scene in all of the world at the moment – why wouldn’t it be? – and when I listen to the latest work from a rising name like Wreckless Strangers, it’s easy to understand why critics young and old alike have been hurling adulation at their NorCal scene in the last couple of months.
Wreckless Strangers’ new electronic remix of “Sun State” is a blistering testament to their growth as an act over the past few decades, and although it’s not the first time we’ve heard greatness come from out of their recording sessions, this single feels like a step into the future unlike any other in their catalog. There’s a hesitation to the rhythm in this piece that makes me want to cut loose and hit the dancefloor from the start, and by the time we reach the climax, it’s almost as though we’ve been reintroduced to the creators’ artistry in general.
There’s a lot of polish on this track, admittedly, but none of the melodic elements in the mix sound plasticized or delegitimized by the production style at all. Instead of using the synthesized components of the beat and the harmony to reinforce the lead vocal, they’re given some independent space in this arrangement to fill in the backdrop with a colorful, albeit bruising atmosphere. Did it have to be set on overdrive? Probably not, but I think that the aggressiveness we find in this version of “Sun State” is part of the reason why it stands out so much from the original.
We’re getting a good balance of aesthetics in this single from top to bottom, with much of the soulful energy of Wreckless Strangers’ original version of this song finding quarter in the backend of this piece – coupled with a little extra pop sizzle, of course – and I must say the lead vocal is quite warm despite the heavily synthesized canvas it paints. Texture wasn’t a big concern when this single was being put together, but instead the preservation of divine tonality (particularly as it conveys an infectious, freewheeling mood), and in this scenario, it allows for our singer to be in the pressurized setting she is without sounding overwhelmed by any of the surroundings her voice is faced with in this mix.
Wreckless Strangers have already come a long way since dropping the bucolic n’ soul sound that launched their career not that long ago, and if you want some hard evidence documenting the viability of their work in 2022, “Sun State – Michael Herrick Remix” is all you need to hear. This isn’t the sound of a band or solo project readapting for the next generation’s tastes; it’s an encapsulation of seemingly immoral melodic ability coming through in high-definition stereo. It will be interesting to see where Wreckless Strangers go next from here, but if their past is any sort of indicator as to what their future is going to look like, I don’t believe they’ve got anything to worry about – the music has never sounded better than it does today.
Chadwick Easton