Psychedelia in 2026
In psychedelic-techno pop outfit Holy Wave’s 2026 album, i’m DADA, the group manages to take risks inside of a highly experimental sphere. Modern psychedelic music has seen a boom in popularity over the past decade, with artists like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and even radio darlings Tame Impala, pushing the revived genre to the forefront of mainstream popular music in the US. The genre as a whole has a distinctly liberated sound to it that, naturally, resonates with the young adults of 2026. With i’m DADA, Holy Wave carves out a space for themselves in such a landscape where it seems as though there are no rules artistically.
The album’s opener, “US 54”, is both upbeat and introspective, with the strong driving force of a synthesizer accompanied by lyrics that seem to reflect on a relationship. “lull” finds itself at the halfway mark of the album and introduces a new mood to the body of work. The track is slower and almost dreamlike, with deep and mumbly vocals and a drumbeat that almost sounds anxious. Immediately following is the album’s title track, “i”m DADA”, which feels a little juvenile for the general tone of the rest of the album. Despite the subject matter of the song – becoming a parent – being mature, this track feels redundant and directionless.
i’m DADA is an adequate successor to 2025’s Studio 22 Singles and B-Sides – this is the band’s first full-length studio album of fresh material since 2023. The group’s fans will be pleased to hear that Holy Wave’s inventive nature has only blossomed, evidenced by the musical risks taken throughout the album. However, some might be disappointed by the way the album meanders at rare points. i’m DADA is at its strongest when it is experimenting, and its worst when it lacks something to say.
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