Within the backswing of a heavily-textured beat, we discover the primary few strands of a melody prepared to tug us into an unescapably alluring internet in “Harbor,” the brand new single and music video from indie rockers The Wheel Staff. It’s apparent from the leap that we’re listening to a hybrid monitor that seems like a mixture of punk, psychedelia, and one thing only a bit extra modern than the usual, however nothing in regards to the music sounds or feels all that very similar to a typical experiment. The music video wastes no time in embracing us with as a lot shade as we will deal with, and alongside the hearty harmonies that The Wheel Staff are serving up right here, it will get more durable and more durable to show away from the display screen because the track performs out.

There’s a dreaminess to the visible assemble in “Harbor” that I wasn’t anticipating to seek out on this music video however was excited by nonetheless. Moderately than placing collectively a pseudo-concept inside a brief and candy doc right here, The Wheel Staff create a collage of images that leads us from one body to the subsequent feeling gripped by the content material no matter whether or not or not we’re well-versed on this band’s fashion. We aren’t requested for something in return for a smorgasbord of highly effective beats, sensuous melodies, and a swaying concord that might flip round even the toughest of days, and in 2023, I feel that makes this specific launch a uncommon deal with to be loved by any who can recognize pop/rock.

If tonality is every thing on this style of music, The Wheel Staff don’t have any worries forward of them for the time being. They sound so sharp and unfiltered right here, but there’s by no means any heavy pop varnish to come back between us and the substance of the songcraft. They won’t have wished to do one thing elaborate in “Harbor,” however they’re performing it with as a lot ardour as if that they had; that’s half the battle in making a top quality track, and for this group, it by no means sounds sophisticated. It is a band that appears to have a greater deal with on their route than a few of their friends within the underground do that fall, and that’s going to go a good distance towards establishing their model as among the finest round.

As “Harbor” disappears behind the clouds from which it got here shining by only a few minutes earlier, denying the truth that The Wheel Staff have one of many extra approachable sounds of their scene proper now feels more and more futile. They’re cooking with fuel on this launch and breaking off a feel-good jam of their newest music video that couldn’t be reaching the viewers at a extra pivotal second, and despite the fact that they may not be a family title, they’re definitely rolling like they’re right here. I’ll have to listen to extra of their content material to make sure of their long-term credibility, however in the meanwhile, The Wheel Staff are a band popping out of a fancy scene greater than worthy of a watch this season.

Mindy McCall