Track of the Day: Senator – Makingmoves
From the age of 10, Josh Pinkerton and Gary Watson knew that making music together was their destiny. Meeting in the 2nd grade – I think you’re about 7 – these young lads quickly became best friends and have stayed that way. Skip forward 16 years and you have the duo still playing music as the band Senator.
The debut single ‘Makingmoves’ was released in July 2020 and followed up quickly by the sophomore track ‘Sparkle’. Influenced by bands such as Surf Rock is Dead and Real Estate, it is easy to see why Senator leans toward a dream-pop sound with strong shoegaze elements. However, ‘Makingmoves’ is not a synth-heavy melody as the duo take a more traditional “band” approach using guitars and vocals to create a soothing, tranquil sound.
What I find interesting about the track is the harmony between vocals, synths and typical instruments. Integrated and complementing each other, ‘Makingmoves’ has a rather hypnotic and calming effect. Lyrically, the track is sombre exploring issues of self-reflection, but the melody makes it more reassuring than vulnerable – a stance that we should all take in today’s society.
“‘Makingmoves’ was actually started at about two in the morning at the end of one of our recording sessions. I told Josh, who was asleep on the couch, that I had a little chord progression I wanted to lay down before we called it quits for the night. We never thought it would become the song it is now. ‘Makingmoves’ is about looking back on past mistakes and people you’ve hurt and trying to figure out how you can prevent that from happening again.” – Gary Watson, vocalist of Senator, on ‘Makingmoves’
