Day Wave - Wasting Time

Since 2015 debut ‘Drag’, very little has shifted in Californian Jackson Phillips’ formula. Bright, breezy songs about seeking escape set the agenda. And although he’s progressed from Beach Fossils-nodding songwriting for a sharper pop edge, latest Day Wave track ‘Wasting Time’ isn’t a step one way or the other.

Perhaps that’s harsh on a newcomer who’s yet to even reveal a full-length. And like fellow Oakland-residing dreamer Hazel English, Phillips has a serious eye for hooks that, within an album, could blossom into something different. But when he sings “I know I’ve done this before,” it’s a timely reminder that he seems to be repeating himself.