Formed in the early 2010s, Trails and Ways were one of those bands that rode the word-of-mouth wave during the golden era of the music blog, winning all manner of coverage and hype for their playful, energetic and often politically charged sound. After a couple of celebrated full-lengths and extensive tours, the project went on an indefinite hiatus around 2017 as core members Keith Brower Brown (guitar), Emma Oppen (vocals and bass) and Ian Quirk (drums), a self-described trio of surfers and environmental workers, moved far apart from one another. However, they never quite let go of the project, and close to a decade later the project has been resurrected so that its colourful groove might be let loose once more.
The brand new Trails and Ways full-length Open Water will be released soon, and the band have shared two singles to reintroduce themselves after their time away. Described by the band as a song “about making peace, learning Spanish, and swimming open water,” first single ‘Patiently’ immediately re-establishes what made the group so fun back in the day. And its upbeat, positive sound carries a fitting message too. A reminder that life is richer in company, and that social isolation can be overcome, written and performed by a trio who worked through that very process themselves to bring the track to life.
Follow-up ‘Young’ is no less accomplished, though dials down some of its predecessor’s energy to offer something more sleek and dreamy. But despite the decidedly hazy sound, there is still a central rhythm to the song, a sense of forward momentum which speaks to the themes of growth and maturation which inform the track. “When we were young / we didn’t sit, too much to do,” as the opening verse goes, “now we’re settled down / we don’t move over the ground like we used to.”
Both ‘Patiently’ and ‘Young’ can be found on the Trails and Ways Bandcamp page.