If You Like: Future Island, The War on Drugs, American Pets
Rock band Young the Giant released their last studio album back in 2018. Since then, there hasn’t been much said about their hiatus until this year. Two of their members, Eric Cannata and Francois Comtois, and producer Jon O’Brien have teamed up for an indie-dreamscape project, Coma Culture. Seemingly born out of the passion for music, the group channels sweet sounds of everyday life, loss of love, and an overall clear message. Coma Culture music is best enjoyed on a Sunday drive throughout the English countryside. It’s pure dreamish indie folk at the heart of it all.
Coma Culture led with their single under the same name in their debut rollout. The slowish beach pop track touches upon themes of melodrama while allowing for listeners’ honest opinions. At the core of the song, certain themes draw comparisons to the roller coaster of life. “Millions of distractions just to camouflage decay / Just to buy another day in coma culture.” Leading up to the release, the band spoke about the lead single of their debut album, Camouflage.
“‘Coma Culture’ is about facing the coping mechanisms we turn to as we seek meaning in our lives—uplifting instrumentals and verse lyrics give way to a chorus that borders on self-consciousness and oversharing,” the band explains. “It was written by Francois Comtois, on tour with Young the Giant, in a Saskatchewan hotel room during a polar vortex and brought to life at the Music Box Studios in Southern California right before the pandemic hit.”
While great in its own right, the track doesn’t speak to what Coma Culture is as a whole. Another track that showcases the creativity of Coma Culture is “Martha,” a soft-spoken story of addiction and the fallout of the choices. Beautifully written by Jon O’Brien, the track feels honest and very close to the heart.
The pandemic provided a bubble for which music and art became one. Speaking on how the world plays a part in shaping how we think, the group gives light to a music genre rather than seen as low on the totem pole. Coma Culture presents a solution to a problem we all face, navigating the fast lane of life.
