Wieuca

Let’s have a look at the manual, shall we. Specifically, the chapter on artist development, somewhere between the one on branding tips and the other on the guide to touring. I see there’s an emphasis on consistency, on finding and flushing out your sound, on building a niche audience (whatever that means). There’s also something about establishing a core identity, breeding familiarity, and, oh yeah, a hint or two about “sticking to your guns.” It’s all safe, comfortable advice—a middle management guide for musicians that most bands buy into, maybe without ever realizing it.

It doesn’t have to be this way, of course. Just look at Athens shape-shifters Wieuca. In their relatively short life span, the group has become known for restlessly evolving and never sticking with a specific sound or style. Sure, you could argue that their music falls under the general umbrella of psychedelia, but when you dig into the specifics of their songs, there are bits and strands of varying genres, everything from gritty punk and shoegaze to glimmering pop and freewheeling jam rock. If there’s a foundation to Wieuca’s mutant aesthetic, it’s one built on unrepentant eclecticism, but if the band fears stretching themselves too thin and losing their base, they certainly aren’t letting on. “The Beastie Boys did a million genres, but it was always Beastie Boys,” says singer and guitarist Will Ingram. “We end up sounding like us even when we try not to.”

With their new EP Local Celebrity out tomorrow, the band once again finds itself in the midst of a metamorphosis. Gone is longtime bassist and producer Sam Kempe, replaced by new bassist Jack Webster and Andrew Cleveland (Big Morgan, Mad Ace) on synths and samples. Invigorated by new blood and an expanded lineup, Wieuca’s latest collection is their most experimental and forward-thinking release to date, replete with euphoric songs heavy on rumbling industrial noise and glitchy textures. There are ample melodies and hooks, of course—even Wieuca’s most left-field excursions seem to carry with them a gleam of pop polish—but overall it’s record inspired by the more mechanicalized sounds of modern hip-hop and electronic music.

“I think these songs are just a little more informed by elements of hip-hop/rap production than some of our previous stuff,” says drummer Robert Smith. “The textures are often more synthetic and the rhythms, especially with the percussion, are more rigid and intentionally mechanical sounding than anything we’ve really done previously. So maybe hip hop might not be the exact reference point, but instead current electronic music in general.”

There is perhaps no better example of Local Celebrity’s spirited, synth-heavy aesthetic than its lead track “Ruby Red.” Simultaneously fervent and atmospheric, the track pairs Wieuca’s penchant for heady, immersive songcraft with visceral dance grooves that simmer and crackle across your speakers. It’s a long way from the more familiar mix of propulsive rock and alt-country that marked their last LP, Guilt Complex, although if you listen closely, it’s easy to discover and tie together the threads that bind both versions of the band. Even the video, which we’re excited to premiere today, seems to strike a balance between the tripped-out psychedelia of the band’s past and the artier, more esoteric leanings of the new EP. It’s a wild, ever shifting assortment of images both disturbingly odd and weirdly surreal, leaving any semblance of meaning open to individual interpretation.

Which brings us, in a roundabout way, to the record’s title and thematic framework. In a scene as insular as Athens has been known to be (and to a similar degree, Atlanta as well), it’s easy to succumb to herd mentality or to be lulled into a false sense of success. For Ingram and his bandmates, navigating individual sub-scenes and friendship groups requires participants to adopt different personas, which means identities are constantly in flux, which in turn can lead to inflated egos and a skewed sense of self.

“Everyone has multiple personalities, and your identity is relative to who’s around you,” Ingram argues. “A ‘local celebrity’ just buys what the people around them are saying, but their existence is totally negligible.”

For Wieuca, the new EP represents an opportunity to begin forging an identity outside of the expectations placed on them by the music community, or as they write in their press release, their “friends in the rock world.” That may seem like an obvious or easy thing to do, but it doesn’t explain why so many artists are terrified of change and exploring new creative avenues. Evolution can be a difficult, even painful process, but for Wieuca it’s the only way forward. To hell with the manual. - Immersive Atlanta

Athens, Georgia band Wieuca plays an adventurous version of indie rock that draws from several pleasing ’90s subgenres. Although they started out as an alt-country act, new single “Slow War” draws at least as much from jammy psych and jagged old-school indie rock á la Sonic Youth. Over the course of five minutes, the track transforms several times over, forgoing standard verse-chorus structures in favor of taking you on a journey. It’s from Wieuca’s upcoming album Guilt Complex, and you can hear it below. - Stereogum

With the end of the year fast approaching, we want to make sure that you find yourself continuing to spin Wieuca’s release Guilt Complex. Dropped in July, the Athens, Georgia band’s latest was far and away some of their strongest work to date. Focusing on combining styles that ranged from psychedelic rock, 90s emo, and some twang, Wieuca’s experimentation offer listeners something unique.

Today, Ghettoblaster is proud to premiere Wieuca’s latest single “Friendster”. Coming off from the upcoming EP Local Celebrity (being released in January via Land of the Freak), the ambitious single lends vocals from Atlanta artist Faye Webster and is filled dynamic loops, free-flowing synth. “Friendster” is pretty stellar, if you ask us. - Ghettoblaster Magazine

One of the opening shots in Wieuca's “Canadian Tuxedo” music video, directed by Kilian Fischer, settles in on the back of a bus sporting the words: “On aging and the insain.” It sets a scene that's literally framed by distorted colors and a video of a K-pop band that occasionally leaks into full, on-screen chaos.

Wieuca formed in 2012, and has completed two albums, 2013's There Is No Balance and 2014's Self-Titled full-length. The group's latest single, “Canadian Tuxedo” is, in frontman Will Ingram’s words, “terribly confusing.” Perhaps that’s due to the group's attention to detail. The sounds, lyrics, strength of guitar melodies, and a psychedelic consistency culminate in a trance-like atmosphere, all while telling a story. Lyrics such as “Rat traps in the place of handshakes, break dates to run the rat race,” describe chasing a girl in an animal mask through the impossible maze of love and sex. “There’s also an aspect of following the girl deeper into the rabbit hole, and becoming distracted and derailed along the way,” Ingram says.

The video stars Athens musicians Mad Ace (the lost boy in the suit) and Trip Lacy (the man with the giant crayon). It's poetic, albeit cryptic, and a collage of Athenian meaning: PBR, cigarettes, unexpected figures, and good friends.

Clearly, Wieuca finds meaning in the relationships portrayed on the screen. But Ultimately, it's the song that lingers. - Creative Loafing

Since forming way back in 2012, local foursome Wieuca has evolved from a messy, Pavement-aping slack-rock outfit to one of the coolest and most cohesive bands in town. Blending catchy vocal melodies with half-drunk guitar interplay and razor-sharp rhythms à la Parquet Courts, the group also flirts with anthemic Southern rock and jammy psychedelia. There’s also a healthy dose of irony to keep things fun. New single “Canadian Tuxedo,” from an upcoming full-length, showcases the group’s steady new sound. [Gabe Vodicka] - Flagpole Magazine

Originally, Wieuca was a Native American ceremony that involved dancing around a fire in attempts to connect with one’s spirit animal. Since its genesis in 2012, it’s also an Athens-based rock band with psychedelic beats mixed with hummable melodies and fuzz-heavy guitar.

Wieuca frontman Will Ingram tells Ampersand magazine, “I worked for three years at this art center in Atlanta...on West Wieuca. Basically, I wanted people to be scrolling through their phones, thinking it was a Wilco song and accidentally listening to us instead.” Ingram’s artistic background is evident in their album art and website, boasting bright collages and funky patterns.

Ingram is joined by Sam Kempe, Robert Smith, and Jack O’Reilly, but little information is given on the band themselves. Instead, on Facebook, their “about” section is the biography of Potter Christ. It’s evident that no one in the band takes themselves too seriously.

Don’t mistake that playfulness for laziness, however; in the same interview with Ampersand Ingram spoke about how much time the band will spend perfecting every song. This dedication, plus the band’s interest in studio experimentation, becomes obvious upon first hearing their newest single, “Pressure Head.”

The track includes an overlap of vastly different sounds, providing an Animal Collective-like sense of sensory overload that’s nevertheless melodic and welcoming. Their second EP has the same distorted studio experimentation, once again overlaying oddly cheerful melodies.

Wieuca has shared the stage with Elf Power and Kishi Bashi. Next up is JJ’s Bohemia, with Big Morgan and i can japan. And maybe someday, as their website predicts, Burning Man.

by Hillary Eames
May 25, 2016 - Chattanooga Pulse

Since its inception over three years ago, Athens four-piece Wieuca has remained dedicated to doing things its own way. Blending southern garage rock with a strong dose of psych pop, the group’s distinct musical approach has helped carve it a niche in the Classic City.

Wieuca first got its start in Fall 2012 when the band’s original members found themselves together in Athens for school. Equal parts personal and playful, the group initially got its name from a street frontman Will Ingram worked on.

“I worked for three years at this art center in north Atlanta. It was on West Wieuca,” Ingram says. “Basically, I wanted people to be scrolling through their phones, thinking it was a Wilco song and accidentally start listening to us instead.”

The group has put out several releases since its genesis, the most recent of which is a single called “Pressure Head.”



The track opens with an odd soundscape of overlapping noises that the band says came out of months of home studio experimentation. Straying from the typical ambient technique of using fewer sounds, “Pressure Head” is something of an attempt to create ambience through sensory overload.

“With ‘Pressure Head,’ we decided that we could make ambient/noise sections that are less about letting one particular sound ring out for a long time and instead having it be kind of this complex texture of layers of non-heavy reverb sounds,” Ingram says.

Although the band’s members don’t brand themselves as perfectionists by any means, the lengthy amount of time Wieuca spent gestating “Pressure Head” is nothing new. The group generally does all of its own production, an approach that allows it to put as much time into a song as it needs to.

“It’s good to do everything kind of on our own time and leave a lot of room for studio experimentation,” Ingram says.

That said, even Wieuca’s members will admit that this process can get a bit lengthy. Without record label deadlines or the cost of extra studio time, being able to just call it a day is key to avoiding perpetual work on one song.

“Sometimes it’s good to have a deadline, and sometimes it’s not,” says Sam Kempe, the group’s bassist. “I’m notorious for having something sounding good and not being able to leave it.”

Despite the band’s previous time spent tweaking tracks recorded in kitchens and bathrooms, Wieuca doesn’t go out of its way to claim some DIY-only status. Better equipment often makes for a better sound, and the group’s members say they aren’t opposed to recording in more official facilities.

“We enjoy doing everything DIY, but as far as getting better sounds, doing things in less janky ways, we’re all for that,” Kempe says.

Wieuca is currently working on its next album, a release it hopes will be its most consistent. Although the group is still handling its own production, the members hope to make their recordings more cohesive by tracking them all similarly with better equipment.

“You can have nine songs recorded, and, if you did them all in different places and different circumstances, the production quality is going to be all over the place,” Kempe says. “A big focus of our newer recordings has been doing them all in one location and just making the production quality way more consistent all the way through.”

This dedication to consistency won’t just apply to production quality, though. Combining unlikely sounds has always been important to Wieuca, and the group hopes that its next release will more successfully forge disparate parts into a unified whole.

“I guess [with] all the styles we try to mix in a song, a certain song would always focus towards one of them, so they’d all be kind of contrasting in a way,” Kempe says. “These newer songs are definitely a lot more consistent.”

Stylistically, Wieuca fans can expect much of the band’s next album to be heavier than its previous offerings. Inspired in part by seeing Dead Confederate live, Ingram says he wanted the group’s new material to make for a more energetic performance.

In fact, many of the songs Wieuca has in the works have already been played live at some point. The band is always looking for ways to keep its show fresh, and testing new songs live seems like a win-win for Wieuca and its fans.

“It’s fun playing this high-energy stuff, kind of confronting the crowd,” Ingram says. “People have been reacting positively to it.”

Wieuca also works to keep its performances interesting by adding a visual aspect when possible. Recently, the band has used projected video to give its presence on stage a disorienting, psychedelic vibe.

These live projections aren’t Wieuca’s only foray into visual art, though. Several of the group’s members are artists themselves, and Ingram’s work especially has served to create something of a brand for the band.

“For me, personally, I was drawing before I knew how to play guitar, so it’s really just another outlet for me to do what I’ve always done,” Ingram says.

This passion for visual art often extends to the group’s physical releases, as well. Colorful art litters the inside of Wieuca CD cases, and goodies like a free poster or sticker are not unheard of.

“If someone’s gonna hold it in their hands, then it might as well be a physical piece of art and not just a vehicle for you to put it in your car and listen to it,” Ingram says.

While Wieuca’s next release probably won’t be finished until June, fans of the group should rest assured that there’s plenty more where that came from. Graduations continue to free up more and more of the band’s time from schoolwork, and this extra time is something Wieuca is excited to put into its artistry.

“Whatever we’ve done up to this point, we really haven’t even started as far as I’m concerned,” Ingram says. - Ampersand

The alternative indie- rock band called Wieuca are one that need to be on your radar. The Athens- based band consists of lead singer and guitarist Will Ingram, bassist Sam Kempe, guitarist Jack O’Reilly and drummer Robert Smith, who together create interesting compositions that take you into a trance. Wieuca began in 2012 and has two albums already under their belt, the first entitled There is No Balance released in 2013 and a self-entitled album released in 2014. The band’s work is a good mix of psychedelic, guitar-driven rock, complementing melodies, and catchy rhythms.

Wieuca just released a new song entitled Polyp and is a reflective, psych-rock song that washes over you with its almost thematic instrumentals. The song is about retaining parts of something that you have lost and finding the good out of the bad. Also, It’s is about remembering the fulfilling, worthy moments in life, and that endings don’t have to be associated with negativity. - When The Gramophone Rings

Der Song Polyp von Wieuca klingt so, als würde Philip Boa im Jahr 2016 psychedelischen Dream-Pop spielen. Also ziemlich grandios.

Ich mag es besonders, wie sich die Band aus Athens in Georgia ab und zu in ihren Melodien verliert. - Nicorola I Ein Musikblog

Its been a while since Vinyl Mag has talked to Wieuca. We interviewed them about their band dynamic and future plans and reviewed their self-titled EP, “Wieuca.” Needless to say, Vinyl Mag is excited to see where this band is going, and we’re very happy they came to Athens from Atlanta. Hopefully they’re here to stay. Wieuca has recently graced us with yet another single, “Pressure Head,” from their upcoming album Master, produced through Land of the Freak Recordings.



The track opens with eerie noise and distorted instruments. The broken sounds come together to create an upbeat melody, and the noise slowly transitions to a somewhat surfer guitar riff and vocals. The sound remains ethereal, and perhaps a little psychedelic until the instrumental end. In our interview with Wieuca, Will points out that “the band is more collaborative and fun than it ever has been,” but “open to adding more members to expand the potential of our live show,” which is reason enough to attend their release show for their upcoming album on September 4th at the 40 Watt, along with The Hernies and Big Morgan. - Vinyl