New Music
Introducing
Brisbane pop punk band Waxflower take us inside their sophomore EP ‘The Sound Of What Went Wrong’
We pick the hottest new acts so you can tell your friends you heard them first. Meet Brisbane pop punk outfit Waxflower on their sophomore EP 'The Sound Of What Went Wrong'.
On their sophomore EP, The Sound Of What Went Wrong, Brisbane four-piece Waxflower are doing some late night thinking – crafting an emotionally-charged rock record created for the overthinker.
Or as lead singer Tristan Higginson describes it – this is “the EP a brain writes at 2 AM when it can’t sleep – picking apart every awkward moment and wrong turn, all while wondering what could have been.”
While at its heart, this EP draws from influences like Jimmy Eat World, Kisschasy, and The Maine, where pop-punk angst and emotion, huge hooks, and driving melodies reign supreme, The Sound Of What Went Wrong also proves that Waxflower are a band not bound by genre, or the expectations a certain sound might create. Instead, their nostalgia-filled, emotive rock anthems also highlight a keen sense for pop songwriting, relatable storytelling, and tantalising electro-pop.
Recorded across two weeks in Sydney, the band have described this EP as another step forward in the constant search for their sound. Drummer Daniel Seymour explains, “Those two weeks were spent crafting and perfecting these songs – to become the most accurate representation of who we are as people, musicians, and what we hope Waxflower reflects.”
Forming in 2020 thanks to a shared passion for genuine, emotionally-charged alternative rock, it didn’t take long for the four-piece to make their mark on the national and international music scenes.
Their debut singles ‘Cut Your Teeth’ & ‘Back To Back’ were instant crowd pleasers, seeing Waxflower play sold-out shows across Australia and perform alongside global heavyweights Simple Plan, The Maine, Stand Atlantic, and The Dangerous Summer.
After a steady stream of successful singles that ensured Waxflower were a musical force to be reckoned, 2021 saw the band release their debut EP We Might Be Alright, catapulting them to international attention and garnering support from the likes of RockSound, Kerrang! Radio, and Clash in the UK and ChorusGM and HMV in the States. At home tastemakers and publications including triple j, Pilerats, The Guardian AU, Wall of Sound, and Music Feeds, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music were quick to sing Waxflower’s praises.
That support has only continued with every new release. Since releasing The Sound Of What Went Wrong’s lead single ‘Soak’ at the tail end of 2021, three more of the EP’s five singles have followed – each earning support and celebration from fans, tastemakers, and industry alike. From Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music to triple j, BBC Radio 1, NME, Rocksound, Clash, and more, it is clear Waxflower’s music is connecting with people far and wide.
And the best part is, they’re only getting started.
The last few years have given us more time in our heads than we may have liked. Self-doubt, self-hatred, missed connections, crutches, medication. All the fun stuff is here, wrapped up in songs that capture both the poppiest and heaviest sides of Waxflower to date. I hope people can find something to relate to throughout its runtime.
Tristan Higginson, Waxfower’s lead singer, on the band’s new EP The Sound Of What Went Wrong
To celebrate the release of their new EP The Sound Of What Went Wrong, we sat down with Waxflower to get to know them better.
Check out The Sound Of What Went Wrong by Waxflower:
The Waxflower Story:
From the beginning
“We’ve all been making music since our early teens. From growing up listening to punk, pop, hardcore and everything in between, we’ve all moulded our influences from what we’ve listened to over the most formative years of our life. Waxflower itself started in 2019, with a vision to pull together what we had learnt in our previous bands, to create a band that we all really resonated with and could be proud of.”
What you’ll hear
“Emotive-rock? It’s a culmination of everything we grew up listening to. From bands like Underoath, Saosin, and From First To Last to Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, Yellowcard and so much more. Guitar music with pop hooks I think.”
Influences & inspirations
“Personally, I’m (Dan Seymour, drums) really influenced by those who are driven to keep pursuing their creativity and pushing ahead from adversity. Even older artists breaking through now like Mod Sun really inspires me. Artists who also have continued to reinvent themselves and push their sound in different directions are super cool to me; nothing. nowhere, The Wonder Years, and Enter Shikari are a few of those bands.”
Inside the The Sound Of What Went Wrong creative process
“Some of these songs were written two weeks before we went to record, and some were written two years ago. ‘Soak’, for example, was left off our last EP, but a couple of rewrites later and we knew we had a track we all would love on our hands.
“The two weeks that we spent recording the EP [were my favourite memory of the creative process]. We managed to sneak down to Sydney in-between the final set of lockdowns and it was a lovely time to escape from reality and spend two weeks holed up in a studio, finally getting to create these songs.
“It’s cliched, but the past couple of years have definitely been a challenge for our band, as it has been for every band. We had such an incredible 2019 and start to 2020, and the past couple of years have felt like we’ve been sitting on our hands. We just kept plugging away, releasing, writing, and recording when we could and it finally feels like we’re at the end of that tunnel. Being on tour with Trophy Eyes across Australia was an incredibly refreshing time and it feels like we’re back to normality now.”
Tell us the story
“The Sound of What Went Wrong is five songs for the overthinker. The name is pulled from that feeling you get laying in bed at night, agonising over every mistake and awkward moment.”
Audience takeaway
“Hope, comfort, and (hopefully) melodies that will linger in their minds.”
Say it in a sentence
The Sound Of What Went Wrong is…”Emotive, nostalgic-inspired pop rock, as honest and real as we could be.”
For the love of music
“Personally, I (Dan) love touring. Getting to travel Australia (and sometimes overseas), meeting people who connect with our music, and introducing them to our band is an incredibly rewarding and gratifying experience.”
Kicking goals
“Signing with our label Rude Records was a huge milestone, and they’ve been an incredible support. Getting to share stages with Simple Plan, Trophy Eyes, Stand Atlantic and The Maine has also been super notable for us – they’re all bands that we love and it’s been amazing to get to perform alongside them. Playing our debut headline shows and selling some of those out was also a moment we’ll never forget.”
The year ahead
“We’ve got a couple of tours in the works. Hopefully a few laps around Australia, and maybe even our first jaunt overseas!? Lots in the pipeline at the moment, we’ve just got to wait and see if it will come to fruition. Maybe even the start of a longer release – LP1?”
Essential Listening
Waxflower – Soak
“This song was cut from our previous EP, as it wasn’t strong enough at the time. We all really believed in the chorus, but the verses needed a re-write. Jordan added his flavour and verse to it, which really helped bring it to life.”
“There’s a whole lot of rejection involved in being in a band, it’s easy to get caught up on playlists, shows, tours etc. that you miss out on. ‘Ring’ is us taking stock of the progress we’ve made over the last couple of years and affirming that.”
Waxflower – Two Thumbs
“It’s basically the opposite of ‘Ring’ thematically, self hate over affirmation. Really covering the whole gamut on this one.”
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