Today marks the release of Drive’s 3rd single (not including their excellent cover of The Velvet Underground’s Pale Blue Eyes), and its an exciting progression for the artist.
The track starts with a distant lo-fi beat before quickly hitting the high production. The clean sound Drive are known for. Distant, astral vocals, clean echoing piano chords and synth lines ripped straight from an 80’s film create an amazing vibe. It’s impossible to turn off.
Apt to their name, the song feels like you’re dreaming out the window of car. The rain beating down on the car roof.
A clean yet far off guitar gracefully opens the 2nd verse. Each additional instrument adding to the song. Despite the constant addition of sounds in the first couple of minutes, the lyrics stand out. There’s some really well written stuff here. Lines such as “Expectations, always been high, the further I climb, I’m let down” enhance the emotion of the song and make it relatable.
The middle eight that follows strips the song back to its bare bones. A gentle patter of rain fades in before a heartbeat drum starts the rebuilding of instrumentation. This part of the song particularly reminds me of something Blossoms would make.
After more gentle building, the song finishes on its 3rd chorus. The fast fadeout leaves you lost for a second.
Conclusion:
Drive have crafted a really beautiful track. Not just because of incredibly high production, but also as a result of compassionate lyrics. They’ve captured the feel of a dreamy trip through space and time all the way back to the 80’s. It shows a great step forward for the promising artists.
We also highlighted Drive’s first single, Old Cassette Tape as part of “Up and Becoming” last year. You can find that here
