The Holy Gasp – “Beat Wave” [Free Song Download]

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The Holy Gasp is a punky Toronto twosome that has a wicked mix of big band, orchestral, surf and psychedelic in their funky fresh-yet-retro sound. As an entry point to their vibe, we’re now offering a free download of their latest single “Beat Wave”. Released on November 3rd, the song was written and composed on Toronto Island at Artscape Gibraltar Point. Not for everyone, but definitely for most. Share the jam and get hip on more of their music via Bandcamp.

No ones to try and write boring stuff when we can just get a more suitable overview from the artist directly, The Holy Gasp had this to say about the track:

“When my wife and I split up, I needed to make an extreme lifestyle change. I moved out to Toronto Island and started work on a new record. I started with ‘Beat Wave’. I was real depressed at the time. And real lonely, too. Most days I couldn’t get out of bed. I’d lay there on my stinked-up sheets, weeping… wishing for my old life back… They were dark days indeed. I needed to write it out, to laugh at myself, and to take the edge off and find a way to cheer myself up. Divorce shocks the system bad, you know. It makes you ask a whole lotta questions about how you’re gonna live your life and who you’re gonna be in your post-married world. You set out to build a future with someone, and when you call it quits on a marriage, you call it quits on that future too. So you gotta rewrite yourself entirely.

“Sebastian was real supportive. He just kept saying, “Write it out… make it as big as you need to… I’ll figure out how to arrange it.” I don’t know if he realized how big I was actually gonna make it when I finally sang him ‘Beat Wave’, but he was true to his word. He found a place and a reason for every instrument on the track, and somehow got a giant chambre ensemble to play punk rock. That’s real funny when you stop and think about it–like Bugs-Bunny-in-tails kinda funny. In the great tradition of The Holy Gasp, no one can ever agree on what to call what we’ve created. I’ve been calling it big band punk. But orchestral hardcore might be more accurate. I don’t really know. Word on the street is if you play the track in reverse it gives you step by step instructions on how to brew your own kombucha. That may or may not be true.”

While you’re at it, check out the band’s music video for the single.