With the release of his sophomore album, "Euphoria," Devon Williams has not had a chance to spend too much time at home in Los Angeles. This fall has seen him touring across the U.S. with Wet Illustrated, gigging in London and opening for Tennis on the West Coast. The latter brought him to LA for a hometown show on December 7th at the Satellite, where he was welcomed with unexpected fanfare. Playing with his 4-piece band, Williams performed a shimmering 9-song set of indie pop tunes, with more than half being from the new album. However, what neither Williams or the crowd expected was an annex orchestra of kazoos and bells in the audience. A few enthusiastic friends of Williams added to the show’s excitement with their instrumentation. Just like on the record, Williams voice spiked with energy in a very charming way on sunny songs like ‘Right Direction’ and ‘Your Sympathy.’ The songs were illuminated with twinkling keys and bright intertwining guitars. His voice was thin in a comforting way, which was a surprising match for his hard-witted lyrics and onstage banter. In between songs, Williams made snappy comments to counter small technical difficulties and cracked jokes about his drummer being Canadian. It was an easy way to relieve the tensions of an opening slot and the band seemed to have fun on stage. The band did a good job at connecting the dots between the upbeat songs and the more reflective, psychedelic-driven tracks.
The show lined up well with the release of William’s second single ‘Revelations.’ The song is the first track on "Euphoria", and opens with a lovely set of "ba ba bum bum bums" and an enchanting guitar line. Williams sings with utter delight, and the layering in instrumentation makes the listener want to sing out with him. Woodwinds and strings tinker in the background like a blossoming garden. The digital release of the single is accompanied with a remix of ‘Tower of Thought.’ The song is remixed by New York’s Violens, who turn the track into an electro blend of hyper keys and dark percussion. For the first minute, the only vocal elements are Williams’ haunting wails. In its original state, ‘Tower of Thought’ is delicate and moves at a slow daze. In the remix, the momentum is sped up tremendously with the aesthetic of a UK club scene. The ending is a bit deceiving as the instrumentation seems to suddenly drop off the map, but then kicks back in and slowly fades out. Violens take the word remix to heart and give the song an incredible new life. The ‘Revelations’ single and "Euphoria" CD/LP are out now via Slumberland Records. – Karla Hernández