Wave Racer

Wave Racer’s debut album To Stop From Falling Off The Earth is a bold sonic departure for the Australian producer, real name Tom Purcell. Eleven tracks blend the rush of his trademark glistening, ecstatic 64-bit production with his love of quirk-driven pop, and in a first, Tom’s own voice. Purcell saw anxieties bubbling up since his first success at 21 when he uploaded tracks Rock U Tonite / Stoopid online under the name Wave Racer. Soon after, he signed to tastemaker label Future Classic & won praise from Skrillex, Flume & Ryan Hemsworth, remixing the latter as well as the likes of Foster The People & Duke Dumont. In 2019, he returned with AUTO, his first original release since 2015 EP Flash Drive, and first with new label Astral People Recordings. A glitchy, vocoder-infused meta-pop ballad, the song sees Purcell fight through mechanical expectations to constantly release music and play the role of party-starting DJ; a creative break-through that bellied the rest of the album. Inspired by The 1975's balance of irony & sincerity, Tom wanted to reveal more of himself while not being too serious. The result is vulnerable, self-deprecating electronica, equal parts light and dark. Highlight Look Up To Yourself doubles as the album’s mantra, as Tom combats his anxieties with self-described ‘corny but helpful’ advice transformed into intriguing, playful pop. It worked for him: the proof is To Stop From Falling Off The Earth itself, an assured, charming reintroduction to Wave Racer.