Flywheel – Crybaby

When it comes to the modern Irish dream pop scene, it seems pointless to discuss it without mentioning Flywheel. With a collection of singles and a couple of extended plays released in just a couple of years, they gained a reputation as a band that never ceases to amaze. And there’s pretty much a good reason why tastemakers and music-oriented media love them. Their work ethic and dedication to the craft are rarely seen in the works of other contemporaries. Not to mention how they elevate their sound with each release without losing any quality. Quite the contrary, they age like a fine wine, with every song delivering a fresh, unpredictable, and captivating experience. That’s the case with “Crybaby,” their brand-new single released recently via all streaming platforms. Serving as a first taster of what you might expect from their upcoming chapter, this composition demonstrates Flywheel’s creative force and musical abilities. With an impressive stylistic arsenal, they navigate through the vast, ethereal, otherworldly, fascinating space, gradually creating a luxuriant sound that immediately wraps around listeners’ ears. Of course, styles like dream pop and shoegaze are their primary weapons of choice, as all the fundamental elements have been incorporated into the song’s core, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon other sonic ingredients borrowed from post-punk, noise pop, psych-pop, alternative, and indie music. Their music immediately transports you to the late eighties and early nineties, an era when dream pop and shoegaze ruled the airwaves, but the modern production also caters to those listeners who prefer a more contemporary sound. It’s a carefully, thoughtfully, and wisely written, composed, arranged, and produced composition that will appeal to anyone who appreciates true craftsmanship and outstanding musicianship. A true gem that proves modern dream pop and shoegaze still have so many things to say.

We all know that dream pop and shoegaze music is about creating that calm, soothing, ethereal ambiance that also carries a healthy dose of unfiltered, abrasive, raw aggression, and Flywheel are experts in doing exactly that. You can hear how each instrument delivers melody and harmony, but still sounds incredibly raw and direct. That thin line between almost polished and heavily distorted tones is what makes “Crybaby” so beautiful, to the point you’ll gladly spin it multiple times to grasp everything this magnificent band intended to achieve with it. “Crybaby” is certainly one of those songs that rewards repeated listens, as every segment carries so many layers, elements, tiny nuances, surprises, and other hidden gems awaiting to be discovered. And all these sonic maneuvers have been handled through beautiful vocal, sonic, and rhythmic maneuvers. Ann Marie Ryan’s exceptional vocal performance glides over all those majestic orchestrations, creating a thick layer of immensely pleasant melody and harmony. Through a calm, soothing, perfectly articulated vocal performance, she gives more emotional depth, complexity, and soul to this composition without ever overwhelming the remainder of the layers. And the generous servings of reverb added atop her performance contribute to the listening experience as well. It not only creates a separation that leaves guitars, synths, and bass guitar intact, but also creates more cave-like space that dream pop and shoegaze music are known for. The way guitar layers are stacked here goes beyond comprehension. You’ll notice how guitars sound colossal here, thanks to careful layering of multiple guitar channels. All those riffs were performed and recorded with ultimate precision, heavily drenched in generous servings of distortion, and then decorated with reverb. With this technique, the guitar retains its natural abrasion but also sounds polished in the mix, without spoiling the remainder of the song. This colossal wall of sound was supported by warm, deep, dense, heavy bass performance. This significant instrument offers more clarity, depth, groove, and heaviness without ever sounding too dominant in the mix. Quite the contrary, it was perfectly tucked in beneath all those guitar and synth layers, but it is still hearable throughout the entire song. It also serves as a counterweight to all those sharp, hi-end notes delivered by the mentioned instruments, all while binding them with rhyhtmic performance. The synths are also responsible for a decent amount of melody here. Instead of just providing support with reverby pads, the synths articulate throughout the song with vivid, sequenced, distorted leads. They simultaneously offer more melody, depth, and emotion, while sounding incredibly raw, unfiltered, and gritty. Last but not least, we have an outstanding drumming performance, which in this case represents the beating heart of this composition. You’ll stumble upon so many groovy, dynamic, danceable rhythmic patterns, performed and recorded to perfection. Each beat, break, fill, and accentuation has its place here, keeping the momentum going. Like other instruments, the drums also have some distortion over them, so it sounds dirty and gritty all the time, but every rhythmic maneuver is more than notable.

Flywheel never cease to amaze with their boundless creativity, ideas, talent, and musicianship. If you ever doubted this band, this composition will prove why they’re one of the finest Irish dream pop bands you’ll hear in a while. “Crybaby” exemplifies how dream pop and shoegaze should sound in 2026. It’s an emotionally resonant, sonically luxuriant, sensually captivating composition that, once you press play, grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. Flywheel has created a masterpiece that should become a staple on every playlist, and we honestly cannot wait for their upcoming music. Do not miss this gem!