Review Summary: This might soothe you?
Some albums just plain and simply ‘work’. Day Wave’s debut full length effort ‘The Days We Had’ is one of those records: everything about the album is satisfyingly well done. Jackson Phillips’ solo project goes for a dream pop sound reminiscent of Wild Nothing and Pity Sex, and effortlessly accomplishes it. Every element present on ‘The Days We Had’ adds to the nostalgic sound of the record. The airy synths throughout the album, the subtle ‘oh-oh’-sounds on opener ‘Something Here’, the upbeat catchiness of the melodies on ‘Promises’: it’s all incredibly well placed. Due to the vocals being relatively low in the mix, Phillips’ voice sounds more like an instrument than anything else. Much like the record itself, the lyrics on ‘The Days We Had’ are often vaguely straightforward, with a hint of nostalgia. The sole lyrics of ‘Home’ describe the sound of the album perfectly:
Home is all I know
Home is where I go
So I can be alone
‘The Days We Had’ is not an incredibly unique or creative record. This is not as much a problem as it is an observation; with a record this beautiful, there is little reason to innovate. The instrumental ‘Bloom’ is perhaps the most experimental song and only adds to the soothing atmosphere of the album. ‘The Days We Had’ is the sonic equivalent of words like ‘pleasant’ or ‘comforting’, and will satisfy any fan of dreamy indie rock.
