Double Wish Release Single 'Floating' Ahead of New Album

Orange County-based dark-sunshine-pop duo, Double Wish, the project of Adam Sabolick and Philippe Andre, have shared their new single, "Floating". It follows on the heels of "Periwinkle Pantone" and "Papers" which found support at Stereogum, Our Culture, and more, arriving as the final advance track to be lifted from their forthcoming EP, Universe Sometimes – out this Friday via Hit the North Records. Released on the day of their largest headline show to-date – a homecoming performance at The Constellation Room, Santa Ana – the new body of work trails last year's acclaimed debut EP, Light Split Sparkle which found support at KCRW, KEXP, Brooklyn Vegan, Under the Radar Magazine and more.

"Floating" balances themes of desire and belonging. It’s about pushing to get your way, and getting everything you could possibly ask for, but it still not being enough. It’s about chasing things you may not ever obtain, but continuing the pursuit regardless of failures or successes.

Speaking about the single, Sabolick says: "I wrote the song knowing I wanted it to be the opening track to a larger body of music, and not just something that stood alone. A track that welcomes the listener. The song opens with a simple acoustic guitar progression supported by a single note held by a synth, and some simple percussion samples supporting the melody. As the song progresses it builds upon a repeating sparkly guitar riff that evokes the sensation of floating on your back in the ocean on a cloudless summer day. The track closes with explosive synths that elevate the initial simple guitar progression into the feeling of a spaceship blasting off into space."

Double Wish searches for a middle point within a vast array of influences taken from everything between The Roches, Underworld, Smashing Pumpkins, Laraaji, Third Eye Blind, Röyksopp, Cocteau Twins, and more. This new four-track collection expands upon the band’s guitar driven alt-dream-pop vernacular by infusing their sound with hypnotic trances, deep melodic bass synth, sparkly guitar tones, groovy beats, and their signature airtight production. This collection of songs confronts lyrical themes of time, friendship, mortality, and desire.

Universe Sometimes finds Double Wish pushing themselves musically, lyrically and also in terms of how they approach songwriting. Casey Lagos (Cold War Kids) stepped in to help on "Periwinkle Pantone" allowing the band with a different perspective in the studio. Tracks like "Floating", which have featured in live sets for a while now, tap into a thicker, darker synth-pop textures while the EP-titled 9-minute closer finds the duo edging into some of their most experimental writing to-date, unafraid of time constraints or having to stick to a traditional song format. 

EP opener, "Floating" balances themes of desire and belonging against a heady backdrop. "It’s about pushing to get your way, and getting everything you could possibly ask for, but it still not being enough," says Adam. "It’s about chasing things you may not ever obtain, but continuing the pursuit regardless of failures or successes."

A deep thinker and never afraid of tapping into complex thoughts and ideas in his lyrics, Sabolick demonstrates a similar perspective with "Papers", the psych-pop jam at the heart of the EP which arguably presents the collection's most striking moment. "This song is about intoxicating crutches and how hard it could be to take care of yourself, but finding the strength to do so. It’s about self-control slipping away, but snatching it full handed at the last second. It’s about overcoming failure with courage and humility — hitting rock bottom but bouncing back." This sense of optimism shrouded in darkness is the most iron-clad way of describing Double Wish; moments of serendipity and beauty that help balance out the cruelness we all have to face.

Universe Sometimes presents a more assured, refined version of Double Wish. It's a leveling, up of sorts, on the groove indebted psych-rock presented with their 2023 effort, Light Split Sparkle; taking the muscular sounds of "Sugary Plum" and "Fever Dream", rewiring them and digging further into the essence of those songs, honing the focus to present something more astute and confident with an emphasis on the songwriting. The new EP also marks the first of two EPs set for release this year with another collection slated for fall. 

Universe Sometimes is not an answer to any question, it’s just a perpetual question.

Photo Credit: Lauryn and Taylor Alvarez

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