Since launching her first proper solo project in 2016, Wilson has released two EPs (Sunrise and Supernatural) and one studio album, Change, collaborating with producers and electronic musicians Suny Lyons and Ryan Monahan to cultivate a contemporary sound that cuts through today’s noise, while staying true to Wilson’s alternative and punk roots. Marrying her instantly recognizable vocals with a backdrop of dreamy, ambient, and dance-friendly music, Cindy Wilson has made a fresh name for herself that extends beyond her band’s legacy, establishing herself as a singular force in her own right.
Nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Realms, Wilson’s spirited sophomore studio album and her most ambitious effort to date. Once again working with Suny Lyons (with Sterling Campbell contributing drums and Maria Kindt on strings), Wilson invites her audience on an immersive, enchanting ten-track journey that peels back the layers of our common humanity. Bookended by the bustling, intimate indie anthem “Midnights” on one end, and the emotive, ethereally atmospheric ballad “Not Goodbye” on the other, Realms provides a singularly stunning listening experience for longtime Wilson fans and new listeners alike. From the glistening golden hues and soul-stirring vocal performance on “Wait” to the cinematic fever dream “Delirious” and the hard-hitting mix of pop and punk on “Daydreamer,” Wilson’s performances are as catchy as they are cathartic.
Realms demands our undivided attention as Wilson takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey through our own minds and souls. Through a series of colorful, dramatic outpourings and dynamic, finessed upheavals, it’s a carefully crafted record proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Cindy Wilson continues to have her fingers on the pulse of modern music. Pop in style and indie at heart, Realms is the next new wave of Wilson’s already storied legacy.