Treading water is a languid, loping Americana alt rock tune very much in the style of the War on Drugs and with melodic echoes of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game. The song builds up from a simple acoustic guitar progression and a subtle string arrangement, and then quickly builds momentum with an urgent guitar riff and atmospheric overlays/ overdubs. 

As the song progresses, the listener has the sensation of being trapped underwater with the ocean seeping into ones’ body (a sensation enhanced by the gentle but urgent vocal tones of “I can feel it seeping through my brain”).

Treading water is a song of narrative and storytelling and explores the themes of being ‘stuck’ (“pressure’s building to a crescendo. I can feel myself going insane”). The chorus encapsulates the tension at the heart of the song “spend a lifetime treading water... trying to gently float to shore. do what you gotta. Do what you outta”.

01 TREADING WATER RADIO EDIT1 01

The Nomadic Band