You Can Be My Wave

Over the past two years, Ecca Vandal's name has been occasionally appearing on my feed. While I was intrigued by what I heard, my exposure to her music was always in brief fragments. and not consistent enough to firmly cement her existence into my brain. However, with each reintroduction, inception became increasingly difficult to fight off. Hearing the opening to CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE, where Vandal kicks things off with a monstrous scream followed by an energetic 'WHOOO,' showed me that she has a brash spirit who is down for nothing more than a good time. Seeing her dance in a colourful yet claustrophobic kitchen set in a promo for MOLLY endeared me further to her playful disposition. What sealed the deal was the April announcement that she would be releasing her long-teased record through Loma Vista, a label whose impressive roster is full of big personalities that span many different genres. I respect their judgement, and thus, jumped at the opportunity to give this a shot. After finally hearing more than a few brief snippets, I can definitely hear what the label is hearing.

The first half of the record is packed full of catchy pop-punk ragers. It carries the immediate pop appeal of a punk princess like Avril Lavigne, but pairs it with the grit of a post-Distillers Brody Dalle project. Because I am often cynical of commercialized social media promotion, I half-expected a certain level of inauthenticity, but I didn't get that vibe at all from this set of songs. The production is slightly industrial-tinged, with fairly overdriven drums and basslines, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it artificial. More importantly, Vandal's vocals are commanding. Whether she is screaming with vexatious passion or delivering soaring melodies, there is no doubt that her performance comes from a place of true sincerity.

In addition to that raw energy, every track brings its own secret sauce. The record opens with a straight-up, noisy post-hardcore cut driven by a relentless syncopated beat and Vandal's righteous delivery. EYES SHUT keeps that intensity going, albeit with a slightly more relaxed, dotted groove. The production here is spacious yet menacing, providing Vandal with the perfect canvas to lead the charge. She takes a bold risk in the chorus, applying a low formant shift to her vocal that makes it sound as if she is singing through a closed mouth. It comes at the expense of her lyric intelligibility, but it is a neat and fitting sonic effect.

VERTICAL WORLD makes a much bigger appeal to rock radio. It features a more stable, driving rock beat paired with a slightly subdued energy from Vandal during the verses. The chorus, however, is where things really break out, offering supremely catchy melodies and fantastic vocal harmonies. The ball keeps rolling with BLEED BUT NEVER DIE, which flashes a fun, petulant punk attitude. The elongated 'I-E-I-E-I-E-I' syllable in the chorus is perhaps a little overbearing at first, but it eventually wins you over.

This takes us to the aforementioned CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE and MOLLY, the album's biggest bangers. The former boasts a familiar chord progression that manages to sound classic rather than stale; thanks in part to Vandal's aggressively fried, 'shout from the rooftop' delivery. The latter anchors itself with a rigid guitar part that drones rather incessantly, but it is elevated by a really cool modulated bassline that emulates slides using a pitch-glide effect. When the song hits the chorus, the arrangement beautifully blossoms, pivoting into a bit of a glam, Britpop direction.

Musically, every song in this stretch is fantastic. However, if I had one complaint, it is that the mix isn't always well-balanced regarding how the vocals sit in relation to the instrumentation. The vocals occasionally feel so loud and separated from the backing track that it borders on listening to karaoke. Because the instrumentation feels so quiet by comparison, the mix misses out on some of the raw power and energy you typically expect from rock drums and guitars; it definitely could have felt a lot punchier.

Beyond this first half comes the album's most unexpected twist: a full-on transition into hip-hop. I am a little torn on the shift; on one hand, the initial run of pop-punk bangers was so good that I would have gladly welcomed a full-length record of just that sound. On the other hand, this hip-hop back half is surprisingly decent. For one, the drum production is phenomenal. I found myself mesmerized by the sharp, skittering quality of the snares and hi-hats on tracks like OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY, LEVITATE, and DID A LITTLE MORE TO FORGET. If these patterns were performed live, the level of control and refinement on display is incredibly impressive; if they were programmed, the attention to detail and intricate arrangement would be equally commendable. Either way, they contribute heavily to instrumentals that are far more interesting than the genre's average.

I also really appreciate the variety across this closing section. Some tracks feel a bit cloudier and more atmospheric, especially toward the beginning of the pivot. There is a great representation of boom-bap on THEN THERE'S ONE, which kicks off with a fantastic Wu-Tang-inspired instrumental that I honestly wish stuck around a little longer. Meanwhile, BLEACH delivers a distinct rage-rap flavor using heavy kicks and deep, resonant sub-bass, and we even get a taste of reggaeton on DO IT ANYWAY. Despite all of these different hip-hop sub-genres entering the mix, the entire section flows together seamlessly. It feels like listening to an eclectic DJ set. Even if there is a brief segment I'm not entirely vibing with, I know it's just one necessary stop on an ever-evolving journey.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't touch on the album's overarching themes of authenticity, unapologetic self-presentation, and platforming voices that are too often left in the margins. In that regard, VERTICAL WORLD stands out as a brilliant celebration of blurred gender expressions that actively undermines patriarchal norms. I also love the way BLEED BUT NEVER DIE transforms a natural female experience often associated with embarrassment, shame, and discomfort (at least from my male perspective) into a superpower of sorts. Then, of course, there is GHOSTS, which sharply confronts the privileged consumption of culture from marginalized communities without involving, improving, or even acknowledging the experiences of the people who create it.

For those who would be into Ecca Vandal's music, the theme of living boldly and without compromise could seem like a pipedream, especially for those in marginalized communities. Given that progress in this regard is slow (and not at all helped by the current political climate), it's easy to view the message through a cynical lens. However, what makes LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW work is that Ecca Vandal inarguably practices what she preaches. By being genre-fluid, an animated vocal triple threat, and overall just omnipresently loud, that message is packaged with a little more hope and confidence.