Relate. – Levitation (2023)
Beginning as the stage name for singer-songwriter Duncan Slack, Relate. (with a period) has evolved into a hard-hitting four-piece from Denver, Colorado. While Relate. technically began in 2018, the full force of this group came to fruition with the release of their EP Songs To Get You Through in 2021. Since then, Duncan Slack, Zachary Fitzgerald, Thomas Dalton and Diego Valenzuela have been turning heads across the globe. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Levitation’.
Following their well-received single ‘Wander’ (released in 2022), ‘Levitation’ is the first single from Relate. in 2023. Being the first song where all band members were in the same room to create music, frontman Slack recalls ‘Levitation’ as their “first real song”. As with ‘Wander’ and ‘Dreamland’, ‘Levitation’ stings of old-school pop-punk meet alternative rock sounds. Taking influence from the “Warped Tour Era” pop-punk groups, a likeness can be heard to Saosin, Circa Survive and Thrice; however, just as a nostalgic flair is heard in the music, Relate. bring a contemporary pop-punk style to the soundscape. Something edgy, obscure and both old but new.
Taken from their upcoming extended play album Chemical Condition, ‘Levitation’ is a honing of or evolution to the band’s sound. The interplay between melodic riffs, pounding guitars, and Slack’s bold vocals toss listeners into a sonic whirlpool with lights flitting before their eyes. It is as if you are in a dream spinning around and around without any seeming end, but then suddenly everything stops. I find this particularly apt as it so well aligns with the theme of fever dreams begging the question of whether you have ever dreamed of another person while they were dreaming of you. It sounds like something from a coming-of-age film, and I can hear (or see) ‘Levitation’ is the perfect soundtrack for any poignant, tender and heartfelt movie.
So, what do I think about ‘Levitation’ and Relate. in general? As a fan of pop-punk with a love for My Chemical Romance, Paramore and Panic! At The Disco, I am flabbergasted by Relate…in a good way. This band is one to watch and I cannot wait to see what else they have up their sleeves.
For more from Relate. check out their official website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
