Every Detail Counts

Wishy, a band derived from sunny Indiana, through the songwriting efforts of Nina Pitchkites and Kevin Krauter, have released their first EP with their new label Winspear, Paradise. With dreamy choruses and memorable melodies and hooks, Wishy puts together a mighty five track listening experience that is full of energy.

One of the benefits of releasing an EP over a full-length album is that there isn’t any room for filler, ensuring that the artist is going to fight for the attention of the listener by providing their very best work. Every second has to be interesting or else the little time given to impress, would be wasted. It’s a good thing Wishy didn’t waste any time with Paradise, ushering out a track list brimming with personality. It isn’t very often that a collection of music can evoke so many different emotional pallets of color and create memories that didn’t exist before. Tracks like “Donut” and “Too True” make a huge impression with lots of attitude and emotion where the intent is felt with every strum of the guitar, then others like “Paradise” and “Spinning” lift the listener into different atmospheres with layered synths and lots of reverb. Just when it seems like there’s a pattern, all of a sudden there are record scratches and a strong hip-hop influence in “Blank Time” and just like that, you’ve forgotten what you’re listening to.

The grainy distortion heard throughout the entire EP makes the music feel like re-watching old VHS tapes and being taken back in time. Not only that, several tracks like “Donut” and “Spinning” are very reminiscent of ’90s and 2000s pop, using shades of Avril Lavigne and Jewel. The songwriting is just as strong as the nostalgia and the choruses on the EP are sugary sweet ear candy. In “Donut”, Pitchkites’ crisp and tight vocals juxtaposed with the angsty and manic attitude of the lyrics makes for a really strong visual and a high-energy experience. The rest of the group hasn’t forgotten to pull their own weight, however, considering the strong bass and drum grooves throughout multiple tracks and the ability to change genres, sticking the landing on every occasion. For further proof of their cohesion, the instrumental of “Blank Time” utilizes unusual chord progressions and phrase lengths, which the band navigates through masterfully. With a foundation this strong, Wishy is bound to find success with future full-length ventures.