Wora Wora Washington – Radical Bending LP (Shyrec)

Once again, I am diving deep into the latest batch of records sent by Shyrec, an exceptional Italian record label specializing in many fine underground music genres like post-punk, post-rock, post-punk, noise rock, garage, shoegaze, alternative, indie, etc. Shyrec is one of those labels you need to check out if you’re looking for some excellent music because the entire roster bursts with quality. Today’s pick isn’t an exception either because it stands out with impressive sonic maneuvers worth spinning repeatedly until the needle falls off the turntable. Perhaps Radical Bending by Wora Wora Washington is over a decade-old piece of plastic, but it undoubtedly stands the test of time and could pair with some recordings that recently emerged on the scene. It has what it takes to convince even the pickiest listeners to once again dive into mesmerizing sounds of this excellent Italian band.

Radical Bending carries eight mindblowing compositions suitable for any mood, situation, or occasion, mainly because Wora Wora Washington are not just another typical band you stumble upon indie scene every day. Quite the contrary, this synthwave duo will blow you away with their progressive ideas, interesting song structures, exceptional musicianship, and luxurious ambiance. Besides synthwave, you may notice how other complementary music genres such as synth-pop, new wave, post-punk, noise rock, indie, and alternative have inspired these folks to assemble a comprehensive collection of catchy tracks. It’s also nearly mindblowing how Wora Wora Washington continuously levitates between retro and contemporary music with such ease. They took a serious amount of time and shaped the sound according to their taste, but also paid a lot of attention to the trends. That’s one of the significant reasons why Radical Bending appears like an indie album assembled for an underground crowd. If that was their aim, then these guys completely nailed it in my book.

By blending the fundamentals of synthwave with more noisy, aggressive, raw aesthetics of the beforementioned music genres, Wora Wora Washington bends ridicule rules that other bands usually follow to the point when their music sounds repetitious and boring. Thankfully, these folks had the courage to explore further and create something fresh, unique, and entertaining, unlike many other contemporaries when this particular album was released. Their high-pitched melodies, themes, leads, and chord progressions perfectly match heavily distorted synth basslines and skillfully arranged, profoundly dynamic, groovy rhythmic acrobatics. Each segment of every song delivers so many sonic delicacies that you’ll gladly spin this record every time you need some perfect, one-of-a-kind, noise-empowered synthwave music. Radical Bending comes on beautiful red vinyl housed in a trippy-looking, high-quality cardboard sleeve. It’s a must for every synthwave fan. Head to Shyrec for more information on ordering.