Chapel Hill, NC artist Wake Moody plays a strange game: his music - built on old-school R&B, rock, and modern pop - stays focused on good vibes, while the lyrics often deal with something more conflicted. “Most of the songs,” he explains, “are ‘almost-love songs’” – songs where, if one detail was different, everyone would be happy. “So 90% of the situation is great,” he says, “but that last 10%, the deal-breaker, the problem, means you need to let go. But you won’t because the good parts are too good.” Songs like “Shivers” and “Won’t Let Go” mine this territory, though he admits it isn’t always apparent on first blush. “Everyone tells me the songs are feel-good. If it makes you feel something, somehow, that’s all I need - I said what I needed to either way!”

Sonic inspirations range from Daniel Caesar to Lianne la Havas, from Frank Ocean to Earth Wind and Fire. “My childhood was sound-tracked by my parents’ favorite R&B, classic rock and soul records,” he explains, an influence apparent in his band’s soulful live shows, featuring hypnotic grooves and vocal harmonies.

The band’s debut EP, Shivers, released March 2019.