3… 2… 1… rolling.
A beep, some overdrive, a beat… then the drop.
Welcome to the invigorating soundscape that is Valdaway.

The Perth band of brothers-plus-one have already marked their proving ground with their album Boom Shake Heartbreak, which was released in 2015 to great success. Now the boys are back with an infectious invitation to Follow… or rather, not to.

Follow is a song about defiance, escapism, and the near-cocky resilience of youth. It’s about escaping stereotypes, ironically by “living in the silver screen”. It seems almost paradoxical, but I get the vibe— “living in a symphony” of one’s own volition is easier, healthier maybe, than living in a world overrun with Hamlets, Romeos, Juliets, and Donald Trumps.

While definitely alternative, this track is anything but aggressive. In fact, Follow contains a few refreshing curiosities. The xylophone in the chorus takes the aggressive edge off overdriven rhythm guitar, and the percussion and lead guitar lines are busy, but not showy. If there’s anything musically transgressive about this song, it’s that the instruments stand on equal footing with the vocals. The bass at times overpowers the vocal articulation, and given the joyous and defiant nature of the lyrics, I would have liked more impetus to belt and air-guitar along with the track. Considering how much air time this song is going to get on the motorway, however, perhaps it’s better that I keep my hands on the steering wheel.

Beyond my car window, you can catch Valdaway launching Follow on April 1 at Amplifier Capitol.