The Data Waves: Revolution Album Review
There was a period where it felt like The Data Waves played at every single house show in Urbana. In basements all across town, with PA systems ranging from “decent” to “painfully bit-crushed”, the funk fusion band found their way onto lineup after lineup. This is impressive in and of itself- any college band that spends almost every weekend performing is clearly dedicated. Even more impressive, though, was how popular an act they were. I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve talked to outside of shows who said The Data Waves were the band they were most excited to see, or the only reason they came to the show at all.
With that said, I’m clearly biased. Not only because I know the band members, but also because hearing their brand new record evokes nostalgia for the house show, memories from a bygone era when you could cram a hundred people shoulder-to-shoulder in someone’s basement without having to worry about super-spreading. However, their long-overdue debut album Revolution stands up not just as an opportunity to reminisce, but also as a solid piece of music that showcases the growth and talent of the band’s members.
Drummer Shravan Raghuram and bassist Aditya Kashyap make up the rhythm section, which is of course the core of any good funk record. Raghuram’s drumming feels well-suited to each track, restrained enough to let the other instruments take the lead but still distinct and present. Kashyap’s bass is in a sense the heart of the album, maintaining the quintessential groove while the rest of the band builds intensity. The two of them kick off the intro track “Shade in the Evening”, laying the groundwork for the song before the melody and harmony kick in.
Guitarist Sammy Gessesse goes back and forth, sometimes providing pleasant, reverb-soaked harmonies like on “Best Left Unopened”, and sometimes leaping to the forefront, like on his excellent solo on “Clientele”. The real star of the show, however, is saxophonist Kevin King. A jazz major at UIUC, King’s horn provides the main melody on every track, substituting for what would be the vocals on most other projects. Instrumental albums can be a bit of a slog, so it’s a testament to King’s talent and creativity that Revolution, which stands at just under half an hour long, feels engaging and focused. His performance is easily the most memorable part of the project.
To me, the most pleasant surprise of this album was the range of musical styles. From the sudden swing towards reggae in “Revolution” to the pop-tinged hook in “A Page from My Book” (a highlight of the album), The Data Waves keep you on your toes, even from one section of a song to the next. The range is a byproduct of practicing and performing together for over three years. Last year, in an interview with Pizza FM, Kashyap spoke to the band’s background: “We all had different approaches to making music, but when we came together, we had to incorporate everyone’s input.” That melting pot of influences is on full display here, often to excellent effect.
This isn’t a perfect record- there were sections that felt a little repetitive, and it lacks much-needed solos from Raghuram and Kashyap. Still, it’s a piece of work that years of performing have built up to, and it shows. If you’re an Urbana DIY fan looking for a blast from the (recent) past, or if you’re just in the mood for some clean, groovy instrumentals, you should give this one a listen.