Fresh off the rapid success of his debut EP, In My Body, the Seattle native, SYML is back with an emotion-filled new track, “WDWGILY.” Pronounced “simmel” – which also translates to “simple” in Welsh, singer-songwriter, Brian Fennell draws from his roots to create an emotive ambient pop song that captures the ethos of his musical persona.
Despite using simplicity as a motto, “WDWGILY” showcases Fennell’s ability to weave together a web of oblique layers and melodies that build with an exponential ferocity. Starting with a piano that embodies the feeling of an impending rainstorm, Fennell croons the track’s magnetic and atmospheric chorus.
The accompanying video provides a glimpse into the songwriting process. We are introduced to Fennell’s studio and witness his mastery as each piece of the song’s aural texture is formulated and played. The song’s infectious melody is simultaneously constructed and deconstructed at the same time with glitching cuts and snaps to counter-rhythms and lines that formulate right in front of our eyes. The result is a head-spinning tale of uncertainty told through a swirling hurricane of vibey synths and splatter of percussive reverberations.
Fennell expanded on the risks involved with creating a song so vulnerable and complex.
"I wanted to write a song that made me uncomfortable. What makes me comfortable is a pop song structure with sweet lyrics. Taking those away allowed me to write a mournful mantra using sounds and structure that are new to me. Playing this live will be a trip."
Catch SYML on the "Where Did You Go" Tour that kicks off this September! Full list of dates below:
9/13 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
9/14 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
9/15 Kitchener, ON @ Centre in the Square
9/16 Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
9/18 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
9/19 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
9/21 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
9/22 Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
9/23 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
9/25 Indianapolis, IN @ The Hi-Fi
9/26 Milwaukee, WI @ The Backroom at Colectivo Coffee
9/27 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
9/29 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
10/11 Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
10/16 San Diego, CA@ The Casbah
10/17 Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
10/18 Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
10/19 San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
10/20 Sacramento, CA @ Holy Diver
10/25 Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial
10/26 Victoria, BC@ Capital Ballroom
10/27 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
11/5 Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute
11/6 Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
11/8 London, UK @ Islington Assembly Hall
11/9 Paris, FR @ Point Ephémère
11/10 Cologne, DE @ Artheatre
11/11 Leuven, BE @ Het Depot
11/13 Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg Pandora
11/14 Groningen, NL @ Lutherse Kerk
11/15 Hamburg, DE @ Nochtwache
11/16 Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
11/17 Munich, DE @ Milla
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