Kevin Bronson on May 15th, 2020

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It’s all about “trying not to drown in bad news and bad vibes,” L.A. duo VOWWS tells Buzz Bands LA in today’s edition of QUARANTUNES. Dive into their new single “Impulse Control,” why they miss touring and a playlist from “another world.”

THE LATEST FROM VOWWS

L.A..-via-Australia duo VOWWS have fashioned their distinctive gloom-pop sound over two albums, 2015’s “The Great Sun” and “Under the World” three years later. Rizz and Matt James return today with the new single, “Impulse Control,” a stark, menacing track that figures to do absolutely nothing to diminish whatever manic tendencies you might have. Maybe that’s the point. “It’s a unique time for humanity, the machine has stopped and we’re all in solitary having to deal with ourselves,” the duo says. “There’s a lot of anxiety that we can’t really run from. Like everyone else, we’re processing a huge shock and experiencing things we’ve never dealt with before. … We’re grateful to have an outlet for some of the angst, it feels like the best way we can work through something this intense is to capture the feeling. A lot of the song came out of nowhere, straight from the void, probably.” Rizz and Jesse Draxler directed the video:

HOW ARE YOU HOLDING UP AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MANAGE THE ‘STAY AT HOME’ EDICT?

Matt: We’re doing OK, we have good days and bad days. For me, if I have more good days than bad, then that’s a win. We’re doing a lot of writing to stay sane and focused, and just keeping working as much as we can. It helps to process what’s going on in the world, and it keeps you in the moment rather than agonizing about what’s happening outside your window. Also, as weird as it might sound, during this time there is a lot to draw from and work into your art, if you can. So we’re mainly working, and trying not to drown in bad news and bad vibes every day —  there are still plenty of good things in the world, but it’s harder to notice them. I find it important to manage what kind of energy I invite into my life.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN THIS IS OVER?

Matt: Live shows. Touring makes us feel alive — shows are like a living thing that we all plug ourselves into and share. Putting music out is great, but I feel like a song isn’t truly brought to life until it’s played live, an audience can experience it in the moment, and we can get that connection. Losing that made me the saddest. But I also know live music will survive — it means so much to so many people, and unlike some things it can’t be adequately replaced by anything virtual. VR can’t replicate feeling a kick drum in your chest, or smelling years’ worth of beer on the floor. Live music only ends when the world literally ends.

ANYTHING WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS PLAYLIST?

Matt: They’re songs that I’ve connected with during lockdown, for one reason or another. Either they speak directly to how it feels, or they’ve touched my imagination in a way that gives some meaning to it all — giving me another world I can step into.