An adversarial network of ideas, The Wants welcome the possibility that embracing friction can give rise to something cathartic and unexpected. Formed by Madison Velding-VanDam and Jason Gates in 2017, and with the addition of Yasmeen Night in 2021, The Wants’ sound is defined by the push and pull of its members’ processes: floating rhythms upheaving grounded songwriting, pulsing synths overwhelming live instrumentation. Their new record, Bastard, is an evolution of many of the seeds planted in their debut record, Container (2020), with a refined sense of acerbic emotional urgency and sonic experimentation.
“If Lynch had been asked to soundtrack a PlayStation car-racing game” —Gary Ryan (NME)
The Wants began playing shows in the New York City underground music scene in 2017. They signed with the London-based record label Council Records, an imprint of Johnny Greenwood’s Octatonic label. The Wants played SXSW 2019 and then The Great Escape 2019, followed by a series of short tours in the UK and France in the lead-up to the release of their debut album, Container. Their touring cycle for Container was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Nevertheless, the record received critical acclaim from outlets like NME and Mojo and has maintained an organic listenership.
The band synced in their passion for artful no wave, post-punk, and experimental electronic music, and a broader interest in art and performance that bridges mediums and genres. The early days of the project were busy and fragmented — Madison spent most of his time on the road with the band Bodega, and Lydia with her band Gustaf. The Wants worked diligently in the background, often in different time zones, stirring their own tastes and ambitions into the music. This method of working set the foundation for the band as an adversarial network of ideas.
“One could be forgiven for mistaking them as a postmodern intellectual construct that just happens to make music.” –John Bergstrom (Pop Matters)
“There is definitely some Gang of Four in what The Wants do, but it’s more of a modern approach: sleek and synthetic, dark and danceable, poppy but paranoid.” –Bill Pearis (Brooklyn Vegan)
