Led by ex-FIDLAR member Danny Nogueiras, NO WIN meld a sunny Californian disposition with elastic ’90s pop hooks and truckloads of punkish attitude. They tackle the rocky terrain of alt-rock circa 2000, but do so in a way that gives new life to a genre often relegated to one-hit wonders and best-forgotten rock treacle. There are times when the band recedes into darker territory, but really, they seem to prefer a more optimistic perspective when examining their own experiences and the moments that drove them to create music in the first place.
They released their debut album, downey, back in 2019 and followed that up with an EP called Enhanced CD earlier this year, further revealing their adoration for nostalgia and the sounds that once ruled the airwaves and filled the shelves at your local Best Buy. They recently announced their sophomore record, Dodger Stadium, and offered “Surfing“, a vision of late-’90s/early-00’s noise that was hard to ignore and even harder to properly classify.
For our next glimpse into the new album, the band has delivered “Hit the Line”, a buoyant dance-rock track filled with catchy melodies, strummy guitars, and a desire to recapture the past without sacrificing their own unique outlook on what made these sounds so memorable. “Hit the Line” examines how our actions affect everyone around us and how we often hurt those closest to us — it also offers hope that change is possible as long as we put in the effort to recognize and alter our behavior.
“‘Hit The Line’ was written by me and two friends (Jeff Enzor, David Jerkovich),” explains Nogueiras. “We all brought our own meanings and interpretations to the table but I think the song is ultimately about being that unreliable person hurting someone you love. We tried to juxtapose that feeling against a fun dance-y track that felt like a party.“
The video they’ve shared of the track will take you straight to the karaoke bar at 2am. All blitzed colors and washed out contrasts, the clip filters the song through memories of (possibly) inebriated sing-alongs and half-forgotten lyrics. It’s a playful and fitting background on which the song lays out both its dancefloor inclinations and modern rock mischievousness.
Watch the video below.
No Win’s new album Dodger Stadium is due out August 19 via Dangerbird Records. Follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
