Ahead of their self-titled debut album and amidst critical acclaim and viral hype, Wet Leg have released their fifth single. Consisting of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, The Isle of Wight duo formed in 2019, and rapidly gained hundreds of thousands of views on social media. Personally, I’ve seen them far too many times on my TikTok, but it’s a good way of increasing outreach to new fans.
It’s also likely a reason their single ‘Chaise Longue’ reached the popularity it has. They are probably the fastest band to get on Tiny Desk, where they performed their literal entire discography of four songs. Impressive. Their UK tour is practically entirely sold out (fear not, as they are touring again in Autumn 2022), and they have added additional UK in-store gigs due to demand.
Their origins and massive and fast boost in popularity really intrigue me. Some call them an industry plant, which is when the label fades into the background of the artist’s image and presents the artist as independent/self made when they are not. However, I would say they have a major label (Domino) behind them. They are an indie rock band, so that’s probably where it gets misconstrued.
The music video
The music video follows a similar aesthetic to all their other releases. It really helps to solidify their slightly odd and avantgarde image – equally memorable. It follows Teasdale and Chambers in a field, in their native Isle of Wight. There are plenty of fast and odd shots of the two dancing and kicking around, an emblem to their friendship. Social media users have described their videos as having ‘Midsommar vibes’, echoing imagery of the films recent release, which only adds to their eccentricity and memorability as a band.
The track and lyrics
Personally, I find their songs to be pretty pointless, in the sense they’re a bit of fun, and it’s intentional. Ultimately, they have no real deeper meaning. ‘Angelica‘ does follow a narrative of sort, even though it’s maybe unreliable (and slightly substance-filled), “I look at my hands, then I look for the door/ Can’t help but feel like I’ve been here before”. Named after Rhian’s oldest childhood friend, the track is catchy, fun and irreverent. Like their other singles, in particular ‘Chaise Longue’ and ‘Wet Dream’. The simple 3 note intro and tune, and the synthy chorus helps to separate ‘Angelica‘ from their other songs.
I really, really enjoy the lyrics; they’re a great mix of sardonic, absurd and fun, whilst being a strangely relatable narrative of going to a party. “The ambience was overrated at the party/ I want to run away before it’s even started” and “I don’t even know what I’m even doing here/ I was told that there would be free beer”. We can all surely empathise with that.
“It’s laced with disenchantment, even though the chorus is ‘good times, all the time’. That’s just impossible, isn’t it?” Rhian says.
‘Angelica‘ sums up the attempts to have fun, and the regrets you have at a party, whilst simultaneously trying to make sense of the situation you’re in. A totally fun single worth listening to.
‘Wet Leg’ is out April 8th. Get your tickets for their tours here!
Listen to ‘Angelica‘ here!
