Feb 02, 2023
By Caleb Campbell
Photography by Samantha Tellez
Austin-based indie pop trio Hey Cowboy! makes dreamy synth-laden gems, coated in blissed-out melodies and pillowy aesthetics. Bandmates Micah Vargas, Sydney Harding-Sloan, and Gaby Rodriguez debuted together with their 2018 record, The Soft Kind, and followed in 2020 with their sophomore record, Get in My Fanny Pack. Since then, the band returned with a new single in 2021, “Not 4 U,” and are now back with their latest effort, “Mesmerize,” premiering with Under the Radar.
“Mesmerize” sees the band taking on a more moody and muted tone, with the trio’s velveteen harmonies encircling a rumbling bassline and airy keys. Meanwhile, the drums give the track a vibrant danceable pulse, even as the quiet and shimmering instrumental tones take on a dreamy nocturnal feel. The resulting track thrives between light and shadow, capturing the uncertain and fleeting glow of new love shared on a neon-lit dancefloor.
“This is the story about a crush blooming under the pink and purple lights inside of Cheer Up Charlie’s, a local venue here in Austin. Once stepping out, the moment is a fond memory to longingly ponder on. It’s a fleeting feeling of love preserved in a pocket of time that is beautiful because of its evanescence.” They explain of the track’s name, “It has always been ‘Mesmerize.’ It will always be ‘Mesmerize.’ It’s a fleeting feeling of love preserved in a pocket of time that is beautiful because of its evanescence.”
Check out the song below, out everywhere tomorrow, February 3rd.