Chicago-based project Wully, the brainchild of musician Keith Norris, has just graced our ears with his self-titled debut EP, a tantalising three-track collection of airy, ambient pop. The highlight, and a real showcase of his delicate touch, is the single ‘High On A Whim’—a track that lives up to its name, floating by like a perfect summer’s breeze.
The single is a gorgeous, spacious cut that immediately draws the listener into its easy-going atmosphere. Drift is the key here. Norris’s vocals glide, rather than belt, through a haze of rolling ambience, light, almost hesitant percussion, and lingering synth tones. It’s sweet and understated, managing to be both warm and expansive at the same time. The production, polished with the help of close friend and producer Ken Foss, gives the track a silky sheen without sacrificing its organic feel.
Interestingly, Norris cited Imogen Heap and Test Subjects as major influences during the writing process, and you can certainly hear the echoes of Heap’s intricate, layered soundscapes, albeit filtered through a distinctly more relaxed, almost psych-pop lens.
What makes ‘High On A Whim’ more than just a pleasant mood piece is its structure. Almost exactly two minutes in, a more pronounced guitar line makes its entrance. It’s a moment of subtle brilliance—perfectly timed and unhurried, it sweeps in with a dream-like ease that elevates the track without breaking the spell. It progresses the song and shifts the focus slightly, injecting a gentle energy before easing back into the weightless, spacey feeling that makes this track shine.
As the first batch of songs for this project, the ‘WULLY’ EP promises an intriguing future for Norris. If ‘High On A Whim’ is anything to go by, Wully is an artist with a knack for crafting meticulous, melodic tracks that offer a welcome escape into a blissful aural ether. Get on board now before this secret starts to spread.
You can stream the new single above, along with the full EP now on Spotify and Apple Music. For more, you can also connect with Wully on Instagram.
