Wings of Desire

“A bit like if Bruce Springsteen had a mid-’80s Jesus And Mary Chain phase” Stereogum 
 
”Wings of Desire cite the '00s indie scene and '80s Factory Records as primary influences and you can definitely hear a little New Order (but also a little Springsteen)” Brooklyn Vegan 
 
“Now Hear This” The Independent | "Wings Of Desire craft dazed pop jewels" CLASH 
 
“Uplifting” DIY | “freefalling, expansive indie” DORK 

UK duo Wings of Desire - AKA James Taylor and Chloe Little - release double-A single ‘Made Of Love’ and ‘Be Here Now’ today.
 
Operating at the intersection between pensive reflection and brash catharsis, Wings of Desire’s gritty dream-pop aims to resolve on a life-affirming beat. Unafraid to look beneath the stone and observe an underworld of destructive social tendencies, there is nonetheless an optimism that things can be different.  
 
This is apparent each of the new tracks - as detailed below: 

Made of Love: “In the wake of hyper-masculinity being promoted within the internet sphere, we invite all the tough guys out there to try and feel their emotions instead of repressing them. There is nothing cool or sexy about trying to dominate or intimidate others. The hustle and grind mentality is not your way out of the ‘Matrix’ (related to the Latin word for ‘mother’) but tenderness, togetherness and embracing both your femininity and masculinity is. I invite you all to put down your weapons and join us in solidarity. And to remember that It’s ok to show your vulnerability sometimes. What fire does not destroy, it hardens.” 
 
Be Here Now: "Be Here Now is a song about being exactly where you’re supposed to be. Being present means that instead of focussing on what happened to you yesterday or what could happen tomorrow, you are simply here, now. No one wants to be stuck on autopilot, it’s not good for the soul. As humans we need to be aware of the automatic actions and reactions we have become accustomed to, and find a place of clarity and calm. The present moment offers peace, it gives us space to transcend."  
 
Ram Dass first coined the term "Be Here Now" in 1971, but the intention is infinite. You can feel completely in control yet have absolutely no say over your destiny, and that is a strange sensation to get used to. It goes against everything we’ve been taught in Western civilisation, but once you embrace freedom, the universe becomes your oyster."
 
The project is born out of questions that may never be answered. James and Chloe draw inspiration from the seminal music of early noughties NYC indie, Factory Records and Krautrock as well as the philosophies of 20th century thinkers and futurists as Alan Watts, Noam Chomsky and Wim Wenders.  

In a sonic sense, they zero in on a particular lived experience as a key catalyst:  

“We were inspired by a trip to Berlin where we visited the legendary Hansa studios, and got drunk at Neues Ufer.”  

The former guildhall’s iconic acoustics and enviable thread of musical history (at times the haunt of David Bowie, Brian Eno, Iggy Pop and more) makes a perfect spiritual home for the band’s transcendent command of sound and emotion. 

This approach saw Wings Of Desire selected for tours supporting Brooklyn indie darlings Nation of Language in 2022, and backing from Steve Lamacq and Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music, NME Radio, and John Kennedy on Radio X; and Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, The Line Of Best Fit, DIY, CLASH, DORK, The Independent and more at press.