Video: Inner Wave, ‘Mushroom’

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Inner Wave (Photo by Bethany Pangilinan)
Inner Wave (Photo by Bethany Pangilinan)

Inglewood-bred quintet Inner Wave has been making sun-baked psychedelic pop since 2012, but only recently, with the rise in prominence of fellow Latinx artists, have they been getting their due.

They sound like the melting pot they are from — so-called “synth-wave” with elements of indie-rock, Latin music, pop, soul and hip-hop. Or think of them this way: They’re a sturdy but worn pair of jeans sporting patches of mismatched fabric, and acid-washed to boot. And mighty comfortable.

The band — singer-guitarist Pablo Sotelo, bassist-singer Juan Pierre Narvaez, keyboardist-singer Chris Runners, multi-instrumentalist Elijah Trujillo and drummer Luis Portillo — released their new EP “Wya” two weeks ago. It comes two years after their full-length “Underwater Pipe Dreams” and last year’s bonus release “Underwater+.” The EP is synth cocktail as perceived through shimmering heat waves.

For two of the songs on the new EP, Inner Wave collaborated with video director Sean Matsuyama. “Mushroom” is not a drug song, but an innocent tune about young love, sweetly portrayed by the kids in Matsuyama’s video. “Why’d You Have to Act Like That Though” is a little more of a head trip, with its picture-in-a-picture-in-a-picture-in-a-picture. The song and video are more evidence that Inner Wave, while no overnight sensation, cast their net wide for inspirations.

||| Watch: the video for “Mushroom”

||| Also: Watch the video for “Why’d You Have to Act Like That Though”

||| Also: Stream “Wya” in its entirety

||| Live: Inner Wave (with live strings) headlines the Fonda Theatre on Saturday night, with Eyedress and Jean Dawson opening. Tickets.

||| Previously: “Whoa” (feat. Bane’s World)