Starscheme ‘Midwave’ - Review
midwave introduces listeners to a sultry swirling of turmoil-infused soundscapes. Hard-hitting, mesmerizing melodies stretch out from a kind of dizzy, expansive atmosphere that feels immediate and distant at the same time. Like psychedelic flowers that spiral out something drastic and immersive, midwave creates such a vibe that you won’t be able to get away from even when the album hits the last sound. Starscheme is proud of its unmistakable signature Oklahoma sounds which listeners can easily recognize from the very first track. The five-piece band has a lot to give.
“Act Like It” is immediately a hard-hitter and an unforgettable anthem with retro palettes that draws you into another world. Between warmth and nostalgia, the howling beast of wah-wah effects wakes up something with soul in the music. It’s a kind of bizarreness that amazes you at the same time shock you a little. Starscheme continues to contrast and contradict between tracks. Like parallels. Multi-layered. Polyphonic. Yet they never fail to deliver those sensuous, thought-provoking riffs. midwave feels surreal because such immersive, dramatic explosion doesn’t exist in the real world. Yet, they are able to create and preserve it in their music.
Then, the emotive yet atmospheric “Pick Me Up Put Me Down” feels like a timeless classic. “mimimoon” juggles the duality of light and shadow with dissonance and scenic sensation. As a band, Starscheme certainly has a lot to give.
Read our interview with Starscheme below and learn more about the collaborative, creative process of midwave.
Punk Head: I love the way you guys draw familiar influences while experimenting with sounds on your own in midwave. When did you first have the idea for this album?
Starscheme: The band and album grew organically over the course of two years. During the covid lockdown all of us, after years of playing in various bands, found ourselves in between projects. Since live music had mostly ground to a halt, we focused on growing the band and developing the songs that would become midwave. In the beginning, the band was composed of Justin, Chris, and Gabe. Kyle joined a few weeks later. Nathan joined after almost a year into the project. As the personnel grew, so too did the material and we developed a process that guided us to complete the record.
PH: Are there any pivotal moments while making this record?
Starscheme: An early pivotal moment was coming to the decision to record all rehearsals to both experiment and critique different musical ideas and sounds. Another moment was electing to work with Trent Bell at Bell Labs Studios. He not only engineered basic tracks, but he also mixed and mastered the album as well. In tandem, we chose to record all vocals, overdubs, and percussion at Cpt. Honey A/V. Our final hurdle was having to rename the project to Starscheme after discovering at the last minute that our working name Midwave was already taken. We decided to simply title the album Midwave having already played three shows under that name (plus Chris ordered a bunch of Midwave merch).
PH: What do you personally like best about this release?
Starscheme: We took our time with this release. In doing so, we gave ourselves the opportunity as a band and as musicians to truly collaborate and grow into a cohesive unit. There is an honesty to how the material was developed and arranged that made for a much better outcome.
PH: Who are your biggest inspirations?
Starscheme: Artists that continue to grow and develop over their careers instead of remaining static are an inspiration. Each one of us has a long background and unique musical story even if we have crossed paths before. By being willing to listen to other band members’ ideas, we inspire each other.
PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?
Starscheme: First and foremost, this is a completely collaborative venture. Everyone has a voice armed with a chisel and hammer to sculpt or beat this project into shape. We are in it for the artistry: the joy of writing, performing, and producing music, artwork, and visuals that all of us love and hopefully others will too.
