LISTEN TO 'LOOK UP TO YOURSELF'
WATCH 'LOOK UP TO YOURSELF'
PRESAVE AND PREORDER TO STOP FROM FALLING OFF THE EARTH
Following the release of acclaimed singles ‘Left Behind’ and ‘What Are We Waiting For?’, Wave Racer today announces his long-anticipated debut album To Stop From Falling Off The Earth and shares brand new track ‘Look Up To Yourself’, out now on Eora/Sydney-based tastemaker label Astral People Recordings. A highlight from the Australian producer and multi-instrumentalist’s forthcoming full-length album, ‘Look Up To Yourself’ doubles as the record’s beating heart and core message, as Wave Racer (aka Tom Purcell) combats his anxieties with self-described “corny but helpful” advice, channelled through bright, intriguing, playful pop.
On the track, Wave Racer says, “'Look Up To Yourself’ is my attempt at an anthem honouring the freedom of self-love and the perils of self-deprecation. For a long time, I found myself becoming frustrated with the amount of time and energy I would spend trying to prove my own value to myself. I couldn’t accept that I deserved to take a break, or deserved to treat myself to something nice without first having something to show for myself, as proof of my contributions. I would feel so useless if I’d had a slow day, or if I’d procrastinated for too long, and I kept subconsciously punishing myself for it. I guess it was like imposter syndrome rooted in an inferiority complex, which was a vicious spiral. So the song is about my discovery of that perilous habit within myself, and more broadly a warning to others about it. It’s meant to be a reminder that you have to go easy on yourself sometimes, and that it’s always just a matter of perspective. The same way you look up to the people you admire, that needs to be the way you look at yourself.”
The single is also supported by a music video directed and produced by Rome with cinematography by Jake Lutz. The clip features submissions from fans including a cameo from Busta Breezie. The music video was inspired by Wave Racer’s memories “of a time when I was unable to allow my creativity to flourish, out of a stifling fear of inadequacy”. The producer put a callout on social media for video submissions showcasing special skills and talents, hoping to encourage fans to “look inwards as a source of inspiration” to combat similar fears, and to demonstrate that “comparisons of individual merits are largely arbitrary and meaningless. And that you may become your own worst enemy if you indulge in these comparisons. Nobody can do you better than you can do you, in other words.”
To Stop From Falling Off The Earth, available now for pre-order both digitally and on blue vinyl, is a striking, audacious sonic departure for the Sydney-turned-Melbourne-based electronic producer. Across eleven tracks, it seamlessly blends together the sugar-rush of his signature ecstatic 64-bit production with his love of quirk-driven pop - and, in a first, Tom’s own voice - to tell a story of overcoming anxiety, depression, and isolation. His tongue-in-cheek sensibilities keep Wave Racer’s trademark bubbliness in the mix, even as the album tackles bigger demons.
Inspired by The 1975's artful balance of irony, sincerity and observational story-telling, Tom reveals more of himself than ever before on To Stop From Falling Off The Earth - all with a signature self-awareness that never takes itself too seriously. The result is vulnerable, self deprecating pop layered deeply with electronic embarkations; equal parts playful and introspective, light and dark, and an assured re-introduction to the juggernaut talent that is Wave Racer.
