Written by Nick Garrastegui
Florida based band Up From Here have just released their second single of 2021, “High Roller.”
The moment the intro started, I felt like I was transported back to a hot summer day at Warped Tour. It’s a specific feeling and one that can’t be replicated easily, but Up From Here managed to capture it and channel it into this summer anthem.
The song begins with a double time drum beat following octave guitars. Soon, it switches to standard time with an “ah-ah” vocal that you’ll find yourself bobbing your head to.
The vocals come in with the lines “Traded skeletons for demons / I wish it was a dream but / I just can’t stop the screaming.” Something I liked about the song structure-wise was the choice to have the drums drop out for the first half of the verse. It's a way to grab the listener's attention and have them even more invested in the listen once the full band comes back in.
The chorus is almost reminiscent of "Feeling This" by Blink-182. It opens with the lines "I can't keep / Living in the past / And let my current self / Slip away," grabbing your attention immediately. Instrumentally, it has many subtle layers including another octave guitar part and even some shakers.
The track embodies all of the qualities of a great pop punk song. It's catchy and has an anthemic chorus that you'll be able to sing along with after only a few listens. "High Roller" is also a great example of a song that uses dynamics to keep things interesting throughout.
The stop and go drums found in both verses and the way the bridge morphs into a half-time final chorus show this very well. While subtle, it stood out to me on each listen and hit the marks that I personally feel make a great pop-punk song.
“High Roller” is available to stream everywhere you listen to music, and you can support the band on bandcamp here. You can also follow the band on twitter @UpFromHereMusic. You can let us know what you think of the new single by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!