Late Nite Laundry Gives Us “Waterlust”
Chicago psychedelic soul quartet Late Nite Laundry releases their first single of the year with the soulful but hypnotic “Waterlust” via Acrophase Records (Ginger Root, V.V. Lightbody, King Pari).
After releasing their self-titled EP last fall and touring earlier this year, they’ve spent the spring and summer opening for their favorite bands — including Pearl & the Oysters and The Ezra Collective — and working on their next batch of songs.
“Waterlust” embodies their overall sound, more than most of their other songs, by having one foot in the world of jazz and R&B while the other grounded in contemporary psychedelia. It sits in the very intersection of their stylistic influences, using jazz chords and a repeating groove as a backbone while embellishing with Ari Lindo’s dreamy vocal delivery and Brenden Cabrera’s keys and bedroom (or more accurately living room) pop production.
For “Waterlust,” frontman Ari Lindo said he was channeling the likes of Moonchild and SAULT, especially, but also with a bit of Butcher Brown, Khruangbin, and Jordan Rakei. The band previously performed and recorded “Waterlust” for Audiotree, which the production company released earlier this winter and called “a feast for ears.”
She continued, “It was fitting to use this imagery for ‘Waterlust’ — the song speaks of said tensions in love and desire. I love this chandelier, and all it represents. I love how alien it looks above the glow of my red gummy bear night lamp. Waterlust doubles as a heated humid track and a easy chill summer groove.”
The duality of their laidback sound and their tenser emotions underlying the surface is a common thread among the band’s songs. The Chicago Reader wrote of their EP last fall that the band “applies their gentle touch to sweet soul and playful tropicalia” and noting they “pull off that tricky balance with style; the soft singing of guitarist Ari Lindo on the plush ‘Floating’ enhances the song’s lovey-dovey buoyancy.”
Late Nite Laundry will be releasing a music video for “Waterlust” and will be sharing more music later this year.