Holy Wave’s “i’m DADA” Confronts the Tension Between Parenthood and Creative Work

Holy Wave have released the title track from their new album i’m DADA, arriving this Friday via Suicide Squeeze. The song follows earlier singles “s33.u.in/HAL” and “dewey’s dirge,” expanding the Austin band’s psych-rock palette with a hypnotic arrangement built on synth arpeggios and feedback guitars.

Kyle Hager’s lyrics address the push and pull between domestic responsibility and artistic identity. “It’s easy for me to feel guilty when the need to focus on myself and my creative endeavors takes over,” Hager said in a statement. He frames creative work as a form of self-care, a necessary counterbalance to the demands of parenting. The track channels that tension directly, with Hager grappling with the desire to be more than just “DADA.”

On the title track, Holy Wave are joined by Lorena Quintanilla and Alberto González of Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, along with J. Zunz, who contribute the layered, immersive textures. The result is less an escape than a quiet negotiation between two selves.

i’m DADA is out July 10 on Suicide Squeeze. The video for the title track is streaming now.