NYC alternative group Wilder Maker occupy the liminal space between singer-songwriter and experimental pop, with new EP Infinite Shift / Black Wood Shrine a nice, bow-ribboned encapsulation of their penchant for ear worm songwriting and eclectic experimentation. A-side “Infinite Shift” was built around a “teenage sense of yearning,” its source material surrounding the experience of being drunk in New York City; as such, its upbeat melodic guitar arpeggios and understated percussive backbone give the track a sense of youthful forward movement, offset by the rambling, sometimes gritty vox of singer Gabriel Birnbaum. Likewise, b-side “Black Wood Shrine” lets Birnbaum’s songwriting play centerstage, his vocals modulated by guitar pedals and effects alongside a solitary electric guitar in a contemporary spin on the solo songwriter coffeehouse performance. Both tracks demonstrate Wilder Maker’s understanding of the tropes and expectations of indie pop music, while showing their desire to flout tradition and carve out a space for themselves—making them recommended listening for fans of sounds both old and new. Stream them below. -Connor Beckett McInerney
