When most people think of AWOLNATION, they think of one thing. That infamous, some would say iconic, crazy song of theirs that went viral in the early 2010s. ‘Sail,’ which is an Industrial-ish Dubstep-infused Pop-Rock banger that came out back in 2011, is, for better or for worse, the only thing that comes to mind when so many people think of AWOLNATION. They are so much more than this genre-bending hit, though, and this is evident throughout all of their music that has come out since it came out. AWOLNATION, is the creation of Aaron Bruno, who first started releasing music under this name back in 2009. AWOLNATION has had many members over the years, with Aaron Bruno has always been the one constant and the driving force behind the project. ‘Sail’ was the lead single from AWOLNATION’s debut album Megalithic Symphony, which, as I mentioned, came out back in 2011. Since then, AWOLNATION has released three records, with each album being polarizing, genre-fusing pieces of work that show how eclectic and interesting the band is. AWOLNATION is certainly an artist that is not afraid to take risks, and they have music that can appeal to a wide range of Pop, Rock, and Electronic music fans. AWOLNATION has recently released a new EP called Candy Pop, which is said to be a lead-up to AWOLNATION’s final album which is supposed to come in 2024. In this piece, I wanted to talk about how I feel about this new EP. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite tracks are from Candy Pop, and also comment on how you feel about Candy Pop as a whole as well as how you feel about AWOLNATION as a whole.
AWOLNATION gets Candy Pop started with the title track. ‘Candy Pop’ is a catchy and fun Synth-Pop track with a bit of a melancholy tone to its sound. This song is driven by a melody provided by distorted and saturated synths with a bit of a sinister element to them. This melody has the kind of sound that makes me think of a thriller movie. There is something that is inviting yet off-putting about this melody at the same time. Although it is captivating, it also provides a bit of an anxious feeling. This melody is complemented by cool sound effects that come in and out, including bells and what sounds like a xylophone. Towards the end of the track, the synths fade away, with a funky guitar riff that has a similar tone to the original melody coming in to replace them. The vocal performance on ‘Candy Pop’ from Aaron Bruno is engaging and riveting. During the hook, he sings in a high pitch that sort of contrasts the darker nature of the melody. In the verses, he sings with a lower tone that contrasts his vocals on the hook but matches the energy of the instrumental better. ‘Candy Pop’ is a sweet track where Aaron Bruno discusses his infatuation for a new significant other, comparing them to candy because of how sweet they are. ‘We Are All Insane’ is a big and bold Pop-Rock track with a sound that is somewhat similar to AWOLNATION’s hit song ‘Sail.’ I swear if someone were to play me this song with no context, I bet I could figure out it was by AWOLNATION based on the style of the instrumental and the vocals. This is not a bad thing, though, as the song provides a nostalgic feeling to that cool era of Alternative Pop-Rock that AWOLNATION came up in. ‘We Are All Insane’ is a larger-than-life track driven by blaring synths that have such an epic feeling. Like the preceding song, the melody for this song is pretty gloomy, but also very exciting. One thing that makes this song stand out is how complex the melody is. During the verses of the track, the distortion fades away from the synths that drive the melody, helping the song go back and forth from being calm to being high-energy. ‘We Are All Insane’ is full of weird, spatial sound effects that help drive the song’s intensity. My favorite thing about ‘We Are All Insane’ is the outro, as some heavy and chunky guitar riffs come in to send the song out on a bold and audacious note. Aaron Bruno’s vocal performance on ‘We Are All Insane’ is vivacious; he helps push the potent energy of the track with his wide-ranging vocals. In ‘We Are All Insane,’ Aaron Bruno sings about how the monotony of life can make us feel like we are crazy and going through the motions. ‘Freaking Me Out’ is a song that is honestly nothing like the two tracks before it. This is the most modern-sounding track of the project, taking on a sound that reminds me of some of the most innovative Pop artists of today. When I hear this song, I think of the newfangled and quirky New Wave music that artists like The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, or even Charli XCX have been leaning into of late. Like some of the new music by those artists, ‘Freaking Me Out’ sounds slightly inspired by the music of artists like The Talking Heads or INXS. Unlike the music from those aforementioned Pop artists(and the music of the retro artists I just mentioned), this song has a Hard Rock element to it that distinguishes it. There are sections of this song that sound like off-kilter New Wave Synth-Pop music, and there are sections of the song that sound like 2000s Alternative Metal music. This contrast makes ‘Freaking Me Out’ very unique and fun. ‘Freaking Me Out’ is a song that keeps the listener on their toes because of how much its sound alters back and forth as the song progresses. ‘Freaking Me Out’ has my favorite vocal performance of the record. Aaron Bruno’s tone and delivery on this track match the creepy nature of the melody and make the song all the more enthralling. In ‘Freaking Me Out,’ Aaron Bruno sings about how everything around him is rubbing him the wrong way and pushing him further into solitude.
AWOLNATION closes out Candy Pop with two very different remixes of the title track. These two remixes give this track such a new life that makes it appeal to a wider range of music listeners. The first remix of ‘Candy Pop’ comes from Flamingosis. This remix gives ‘Candy Pop’ an otherworldly and trippy feeling that majorly differs from the original track. This chopped-and-screwed remix has components of the mix that make me think of late 1990s G-Funk music but also has a tone that makes it so atmospheric and floaty. This is a groovy, Hip Hop version of ‘Candy Pop’ by Flamingosis that makes me feel like I am floating through space. The vocals on this version hit harder for me than the original track because of how smoothly they sit on this funky version of the song. Like the first remix of ‘Candy Pop,’ the second remix has a majorly different sound and energy than the original track. This second remix, which comes from Elohim, also has a Hip Hop element to it that I enjoy a lot. This version of ‘Candy Pop’ is even more harsh and distorted than the original track. This remix is very brash and austere; it has a head-banging sort of energy to it that will pump anyone up when they hear it. I feel like the Elohim remix of ‘Candy Pop’ would be great for any workout playlist. It has this powerful energy to it that stimulates me when I hear it. My favorite track is the brighter, saturated synth that comes in after the multiple drops in the track. This bright synth along with the potency of the beat has such a head-banging sort of feeling. Both of the remixes to ‘Candy Pop’ give the song a new life that I appreciate a lot and make it all the more memorable. These remixes are a great way to end the EP, as they show how adaptable AWOLNATION’s sound can be.
Even though AWOLNATION will always be mainly remembered for their massive hit song ‘Sail,’ it is easy to see from this EP that they are way more than that. There are definitely still elements of that iconic sound that made AWOLNATION so popular to begin with on Candy Pop, but this EP shows their diversity and that there is more to AWOLNATION than that sound and that song. Candy Pop is an entertaining EP that fuses elements of modern Pop and Hip Hop with 2000s and 2010s Alternative Hard Rock in a way that not many other artists can do. Candy Pop has a nostalgic element to it, while also feeling fresh and distinctive. AWOLNATION is an artist that has a lot more to them than meets the eye, and that is evident through this new EP. Candy Pop is a quality project that stands out among Alternative Rock and Pop music today, and it makes me excited to hear their new album whenever it ends up coming out.
EAST SIDE VIBES 