As someone who is a huge fan of The 1975, this new Summerdrive single encapsulates that familiar electro pop sound, with the addition of uniquely blended sounds of indie, alt-rock, and synth. “Shimmer” is everything you want in a summer song- it’s fresh and upbeat, providing you with that exhilarating adrenaline rush one usually feels during the summer. It’s reflective and honest, giving you a strong sense of nostalgia for past experiences, but hope and excitement in moments to come. But most of all, it has that quintessential vibrant energy to it. It quite literally shimmers.
This alternative/indie band features Jake Stam, Matt Montgomery, and Tim Coakley. The group draws inspiration from New York and Los Angeles while being influenced by artists such as The Killers, The 1975, Coldplay, and Walk The Moon. Other notable tracks include “Sunkissed Dreamland”, “Be The Change”, and “It’s Alright, Let Me Go.” Already love these ones? Just wait until you hear “Shimmer.”
“The overarching idea of the song is chasing a feeling that has faded, whether you like it or not,” the trio say in a statement about the song. “Visiting the places that you’ve been with someone, whether it be a friend or partner, and those places not holding the same meaning as they once did. Ultimately realizing that sometimes it’s out of our control how these things end up.”
You can hear the authenticity of the lyrics throughout the track, but mostly in the chorus, with the line “chasing down the shimmer of an afterglow//driving by the places that we used to go//hoping that I catch the rush”. It is so beautifully written and may just seem simple at first, but it is effectively powerful.
The biggest thing I took from this song is how incredibly human it is to feel the urge to chase a feeling that no longer exists because of the exhilaration it once gave you. It’s understandable to want to revisit those certain places and relisten to those certain songs in an attempt to regain that specific feeling, because that’s the best way to relieve and hold on to a moment that has fully passed. Ultimately we learn to let go of what is no longer present and realize that one special moment does not define your entire existence. The numerous individual experiences that take course over your lifetime are what truly shape you. So though this one moment is over, it is just making room for the next.
Clearly, I fell in love with “Shimmer” the second I heard it and I hope you will too. We cannot wait until the track is finally shared with everyone on July 14th and are eager to see what Summerdrive does next!
Written by Amrita Kumar
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