Depeche-hued electronic catharsis
Who?
Jay Wires is an electronic musician and songwriter from New York. After spending his teenage years absorbed in the music of Depeche Mode, New Order and Erasure, a young Wires persuaded his folks to buy him a synth for his 14th birthday, and off he went. “I realised I could record full songs alone on a synthesiser with a computer that would fix all my wrong notes and sloppy timing,” says Wires. “I thank Vince Clarke and Martin Gore for ruining my mom’s dream of having a doctor for a son.”
Why Jay Wires?
Describing his distinctive, emotional outpourings as “electropop therapy”, the four songs on debut EP ‘Kaboom!’ were inspired by the social isolation of lockdown and a break-up. Telling the story of a relationship approaching crisis point, ‘Candle In The Night’ and ‘Time And Space’ contain sensitive, loving lyrics framed by warm, evolving synths and brittle melodies. On title track ‘Kaboom!’, we are thrust into the dead centre of Wires’ anguish, perfectly evoking the savage disorientation and disarray of a painful parting. Final track ‘Breathe’ is muted, reflective and hopeful, inspired by a walk in a park in Astoria, Queens. “I try to base the sound of the song not just on the feelings I had at the time, but also the environment,” explains Wires. “It’s all about painting an actual picture that takes me back to that particular place and time.”
Tell Us More…
Fast forward to today and, alongside making music, Wires works for a vintage synth dealer. It’s a job which puts him in touch with many of the discerning electronic musicians who inspired him in the first place, spending every day testing and playing incredible equipment.
‘Kaboom!’ is out on Yes Trigger Music
