What’s better than one fresh single to keep the vibe of summer going? Two singles, of course. Releasing “Still The Man” and “One Chord Love Song” on the same day, High Road Pilots bring their signature wavy and warm tones to cap off the dog days of 2026. Trading off between guitars and synth as the driving force behind the new songs, High Road Pilots continue to prove that their thoughtfulness and experimentation lead to bold new heights without feeling rushed or derivative.
High Road Pilots are a band containing too many multitudes to be uncomfortably looped in under the umbrella of indie rock. Releasing music since 2012, High Road Pilots have melded elements of psych rock, shoegaze, alt rock, dream pop, rock & roll, surf rock, and synth pop into a sound that is both expansive, encompassing, and also genuinely welcoming. Since their debut album of demos entitled Demonstrations in 2012, this Barrie-based band have been synthesizing the complexities of existence into tangible, grooveable music.Their latest offerings arrived on August 10 in the form of “Still The Man” and “One Chord Love Song”. With any release. High Road Pilots create an atmosphere that feels distant but comforting – like discovering a new spot in the city or town you’ve lived your whole life.
“Still The Man” is defined by its bouncy and shimmering guitar work over wavy textures that conjure images of rolling hills and confident isolation. Regardless of the time and distance between people and places, the song enforces that something intangible, but very much real, remains constant.
“One Chord Loves Song” delves deeper into the waters of new wave and post rock with a driving synth sound. The song highlights the band’s songwriting and their power to create vivid images that feel familiar through a lens of vintage imagery. Lyrically, “One Chord Love Song” sounds like a stream of consciousness held together by passing moments that have been committed to memory because the person you love is there.
Like watching snippets of seemingly unrelated stories weave together, “Still The Man” and “One Chord Love Song” stand on their own but also feel like they are part of a bigger story. This allusion is common in High Road Pilots’ music, as they have an uncanny way to make the listener feel small amongst the vastness of the space that surrounds them with a sense of peace. High Road Pilots’ “Still The Man” and “One Chord” are made for summer night drives to no particular place, or the soundtrack to getting a little lost in places you feel safe.
P.S – Their 2021 album Yonder was a huge part of getting through the lockdown blues. Check it out.
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Bio:
High Road Pilots are a band that turns all of your bad feelings into good feelings.
