Wave Racer

Wave Racer’s debut album is a bold sonic departure for the Australian producer, real name Tom Purcell. Eleven tracks blend the rush of his trademark glistening, ecstatic 64-bit production with his love of quirk-driven pop, and in a first, Tom’s own voice. Purcell saw anxieties bubbling up since his first success at 21 when he uploaded tracks online under the name Wave Racer. Soon after, he signed to tastemaker label Future Classic & won praise from , & , remixing the latter as well as the likes of & . In 2019, he returned with , his first original release since 2015 EP , and first with new label Astral People Recordings. A glitchy, vocoder-infused meta-pop ballad, the song sees Purcell fight through mechanical expectations to constantly release music and play the role of party-starting DJ; a creative break-through that bellied the rest of the album. Inspired by ‘s balance of irony & sincerity, Tom wanted to reveal more of himself while not being too serious. The result is vulnerable, self-deprecating electronica, equal parts light and dark. Highlight doubles as the album’s mantra, as Tom combats his anxieties with self-described ‘corny but helpful’ advice transformed into intriguing, playful pop. It worked for him: the proof is itself, an assured, charming reintroduction to Wave Racer.