Ironically, after spending the past ten years touring the world in support of three critically acclaimed albums, the new Joywave EP, Every Window Is A Mirror, was crafted under strikingly similar circumstances. Listen to the new EP here and watch the video for the title track here.
“When I was making these songs, it was like I was back in my post-grad years, but it was in my basement now,” Armbruster recalls with a laugh. “I thought, okay, what do I want to do? There’s nobody here again.’” With a virus ravaging the world and no possibility of touring for the foreseeable future, Armbruster was once again able to dig into his own psyche and see what surfaced. “The writing this time was really introspective because I didn’t want to go upstairs and turn on the TV, you know?” he explains. “The only part of the world that made sense to me was my little corner where I’m making music.”
Over the past decade, that little corner has expanded from Armbruster’s parents’ house in Rochester, New York, to the Lollapalooza stage, tours with everyone from Bastille, Brandon Flowers to Young The Giant and late-night television appearances that have allowed Joywave to beam their infectious brand of indie rock into households all over the world.
Every Window Is A Mirror is as much a commentary on the way things are currently as we look toward our collective future. It’s poetic without being preachy and is unabashedly Joywave in a way that further solidifies their sound as something that, like our world, is in a state of perpetual evolution. The dynamic sound of the EP is as much of a testament to the performances on the album as it is Armbruster’s production prowess, which combines organic and electronic elements into a soundscape that continues to unfold itself with each listen.
From the ambient, irresistible groove of ‘Pray For The Reboot’ to the brooding and expansive ‘The Inversion’ and the bass-driven shuffle of ‘After Coffee’, the Every Window Is A Mirror EP has a melodic sensibility that serves as a constant between these four songs despite the fact that they all have their own unique musical personality. “I was very conscious of not doing the same thing again with these songs,” Armbruster explains. “[2020’s] Possession had the crazy production of [2015’s] How Do You Feel Now? and the increased emotional depth of [2017’s] Content, so for these songs it was important for me to move past that and bring something a little different to the table.”
Even now, there is a hopefulness that shines through on these songs that will undoubtedly resonate with the listener. Every Window Is A Mirror is an aperture into Joywave’s creative process, which is as likely to inspire introspection as it is the urge to dance away the collective uncertainty of the moment.
EVERY WINDOW IS A MIRROR TRACKLIST
- Pray For The Reboot
- Every Window Is A Mirror
- After Coffee
- The Inversion
