Meet Wayside and their new Double Single 'Parallax Error / Asymmetry'

Image credit: Cian Marangos

Nearly two and a half years on from the release of their impressive debut album Shine On To Me, the duo of Thomas Davenport and Josh Ehmer return as Wayside with the delicious and diverse double single pairing of Parallax Error and Asymmetry.

Recorded by renowned producer & big influence on the band, Will Yip (Turnstile / Title Fight / Balance & Composure), the pair of singles weave elements from shoegaze, post-hardcore and ambient influences, with the melodic, driving and anthemic sounds of Parallax Error perfectly balanced by the more meditative, downtempo vibes of Asymmetry.

"We were asked what our #1 goal as artists were, to which we both replied...to work with Will Yip," vocalist/guitarist Thomas Davenport says. "From the very beginning songwriting was always our number one focus, so to be given the opportunity to work with Will was quite literally a dream come true. We both followed his career and had tremendous respect for him as a producer, but more importantly, as a songwriter."

The pair of singles come ahead of Wayside supporting Dream on Dreamer on their upcoming Australian tour (all dates below), as well as a music video for Parallax Error (keep your eyes peeled for an Asymmetry video soon). With all this going on, we got to know Wayside:

How did Wayside form?

Josh: We grew up playing in bands together and music has always been something that we’ve connected through. When we started Wayside, it was after a few years of not making music together and it kind of just felt like it was the right time to start something again. Both of us had discovered a lot of new things that influenced us within that time between making music together, so it was exciting to see where we could go with the new music we were making.

Who is in the band and what do you all do?

We are a duo that consists of Thomas Davenport (vocalist) and Josh Ehmer (guitarist). We have a session drummer, Nicholas Andrews, who we tour and record with, and a long rotating list of bassists who we tour with based on who is available.

Tell us about your creative process?

Josh: We’re always talking to each other about music and ideas that we have that we think could be cool to try with the band. So, before we even start writing anything, we have an idea of what we’re both hoping to get out of what we’re about to work on.

When we actually start writing though, it’s the two of us locked in a room a few nights a week over however long it takes to put songs together. Generally, guitar is first and then the rest of the instrumentation follows. Vocals are usually added after we have the music down. None of this is concrete though and it’s more so whatever feels right is what ends up working.

We spend the most time refining our ideas and we don’t stop refining until we’re hitting the record button in the studio. That was one of the great things about working with Will, he was down to flesh out every little thing that we had brought to him to make sure that what we finished with was the best we could possibly get.

Tell us about your new double single)?

Thomas: The first single "Parallax Error" talks about the feeling of constantly chasing someone, getting closer and closer every single time, but never close enough to hold them for long, only to eventually surrender to the cycle, and just participate.

While in the studio with Will, we restructured the verse melody slightly and added a chorus guitar lead, but kept everything else the same as the demo. From that point onwards it was all about nailing the performance and perfecting the tones. It was obvious to everyone that this was going to be a single, it was just a matter of what number.

“Asymmetry” talks about the lingering effects of that same cycle, not being able to break free or silence the voice in your head. Asymmetry was a special song for all of us, it was the first song that we worked on together, and by far the most collaborative. Going into the studio, it was just a verse riff with a vocal melody and a very rough pre chorus. Will and I built out the pre chorus melody together, and from there the chorus just poured out of Will, allowing Josh to easily flesh out the chord progressions and leads.

Why release a double single?

Thomas: We feel as though we’ve been quiet for long enough that giving people more content made sense. We knew we wanted to release “Asymmetry” as a single at some point but feared it was too slow for a stand alone release. Coupling it with “Parallax Error” was the perfect fit.

What's coming up for the rest of the year?

We’re about to go on tour with Dream On Dreamer in August. Apart from that, you may or may not hear some more music from us very soon…

How can fans best support your music?

In whatever way they see fit. Making money as a music artist in 2023 isn’t easy, but that being said, that’s the furthest thing from the reason why we do this. We just love writing songs, so it comes from a place of passion and self expression. From buying merch to just a single stream, support in any shape or form is appreciated.

What have you been listening to lately?

Thomas: I’ve been listening to a lot of Fleshwater, Ethel Cain, Sleep Token’s new record and Sade x MF Doom mixes.

Josh: I’ve been flipping between Peggy Gou, Quicksand, Converge and Aphex Twin.

WAYSIDE

SUPPORTING DREAM ON DREAMER

Friday 11th August 2023 - Max Watts, Melbourne VIC
Saturday 12th August 2023 - Uni Bar, Adelaide SA
Friday 25th August 2023 - The Triffid, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 26th August 2023 - Crowbar, Sydney NSW

Wayside's new double single Parallax Error / Asymmetry is out now

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