By: Alicia Urrea | July 31 2023
New York-based trio Summerdrive have released their new single “Shimmer,” a nostalgic summer anthem that captures the feeling of craving familiarity, with its 80’s-style synth production and wistful lyrics. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the modern genre of indie-pop, providing listeners with a boost of serotonin through its vibrant instrumentation.
“Shimmer” begins with some staccato vocals and production, before it crescendos into the first verse. We’re guided through the progression of the song with dream-like synths and bright electric guitar chords, introducing us to a very juxtaposed tune. It’s sonically extremely flamboyant and upbeat, even preparing listeners for something optimistic by starting the first two lines of the song with sunny, positive, words like “golden” and “honey.”
It is when we launch into the chorus, the realization hits that the track lyrically contrasts to the fiery music. What we might’ve expected to be a sentimental summer song actually hides some stark lyricism in the chorus: “Chasing down the shimmer of an afterglow / Driving by the places that we used to go / Hoping that I’ll catch the rush.” The earworm of a chorus captures a crying while dancing feeling; there’s a narration for this hunt for feelings that no longer exist, feeling nostalgic toward ease and familiarity while a bouncy rhythm plays behind it.
Though I hate to use a cliché, this track definitely feels like summer in a song. Upon first listen, the immediate vibe felt as though this song was birthed by a combination of LANY-esque vocals and COIN production. It’s been a while since Summerdrive released a track, their last one being a single called “Cheer Up Hollywood” from January of this year. “Shimmer” is a superb comeback for the group, especially since it’s just in time for the heart of summer. For fans of the alt-indie synth-pop genre and bands with a lively aura, Summerdrive’s “Shimmer” should definitely make its way to everyone’s playlist for their soundtrack of the summer!
