Premiere: Wam Dingis, ‘James’

Kevin Bronson on September 7th, 2016

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Orange County’s Wam Dingis is an idea that took more than a decade to come to fruition. Jordan Avila and Darren Cochran first got together as eighth-graders at a summer camp open mic and kept the flame burning until, eventually, bassist Angela Vasquez joined up as bassist and Mindy Dymin came on board as violinist-keyboardist. The quartet blissfully, frenetically darts between psychedelic, garage and surf rock, and this week they release their debut album “It’s Not That Hard.” The album includes some assists from friends — members of HOTT MT, Goon and Bogan Via — and, in case of the new single “James,” friends of friends. “James” features Jeff Schroeder, the Smashing Pumpkins’ guitarist and an O.C. native himself, doing a little shredding. Schroeder knows some people close to Wam Dingis and to Paul Doyle (of Midnight Faces), who produced the album. He was sent the song and recorded his part at home. “James” has the garage-y post-punk vibe of guys who wear black leather jackets, but maybe that’s what Wam Dingis jams at their pool parties?

||| Stream: “James”