Words by Tom Farmer- @tomfarmer5000 @TomFarmerJourno
With a couple of days forecast for London, FAR WEST is the perfect artist to transport you to somewhere much warmer. With dreamy and anthemic vocals, backed up by laidback yet crisp musicianship, the Santa Cruz-based artist’s new release “Make It Up” makes it feel like the sun is always shining.
Spearheaded by Ryan, FAR WEST have released six singles and an EP in the last year, each release as sun-kissed and dreamy as the last one. Despite their relatively recent emergence, FAR WEST have already amassed nearly 200,000 streams on Spotify. As with an artist who emerges in 2020, whether they are from California or Croydon, FAR WEST had made a name for themselves without even playing a gig. Drawing on an eclectic mix of influences, from The 1975 to the Cure, the Californian evokes the exciting synth-pop (“Gen Z”, dare I say it) sounds made famous by the likes of Wallows. With all songs recorded and mixed in his Santa Cruz garage, the tracks have a rawness and relatability, whilst sounding crisp and professional.
The latest release from the Californian outfit “Make It Up” is very much business as usual. With dreamy and anthemic hooks, backed by echoey and reverberating vocals, the track sounds fit for any summer festival stage or indie BBQ. Whilst being laidback and dreamy, the lyrics do have a certain poignancy about them, focusing on the positive experiences of youth, rather than the bad. Amplified (quite literally) by the strong production, the track is indie pop at its strongest. Having said that, some parts maintain a “rockiness” to the track. The guitar solo, for example, is perhaps a homage to the traditional rock scene.
With the crispness and cleanliness of indie pop, whilst maintaining a rough and honest lyrical message, FAR WEST’s garage production seems to serve him well. If you want a track which makes you feel like the sun will shine forever, “Make It Up” is just the ticket.
'Make It Up' is out now on all major streaming platforms.
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