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Jun 01, 2022 By Caleb Campbell

NYC-based band dayaway is the new dream pop project from Amber Renee and Graham Marsh of indie pop duo CLAVVS. The pair’s new project sees them leaning into a beachy nostalgic haze, replete with shoegaze guitars, breezy percussion, and washed-out chillwave synths. The band debuted earlier this year with their single “cool water” and announced their forthcoming self-titled EP last month with the title track, “dayaway.”

Today, the band are back again with another new song, “desert island,” along with an accompanying video, premiering with Under the Radar.

Much like the band’s previous two singles, “desert island” is a beach-ready dose of sunny indie pop, calling to mind strains of dream pop and chillwave combined with an easygoing summer haze. Singer Amber Renee’s vocals are lush and languid, bolstered by breezy handclaps, dreamy washes of guitar, and twinkling melodic accents. The track feels reminiscent of other luxuriant indie acts like Hatchie or Beach House, yet it also sports a distinctive sheen that makes it perfect for summer daydreams and nostalgic imaginings.

Meanwhile, the lyrics to the track find the band diving into the ocean, swimming to sea to finally escape an ex-lover. As Renee explains, “‘desert island’ is a cheeky song about avoiding your problems. I really loved the imagery of swimming to a desert island to get away from your ex. We filmed the video at Coney Island and directed and edited it ourselves, like all of our videos. Capturing the vibe of the music is really important to us, and the visual element is a big reason why we make music in the first place. This one is about escapism and having fun on your own. We were inspired by the mythos of Coney Island, and it’s a playful nod at the title.”

Renee continues, saying of the upcoming EP, “This project started as a sort of accident. I was sitting on the beach on a late summer day in 2018 when I felt compelled to start writing these summertime love songs. They came to me so quickly and all at once. These are vignettes of love and loss from my imagination and my life. They’re meant to capture the feelings of summertime, from the hot blue euphoria to the hazy golden sadness. On one level, they’re simple love songs, but there’s also something a little deeper about growing up and saying goodbye.”

Check out the song and video below. dayaway is out everywhere on August 3rd.