Like a pixelated fever dream drenched in indie-rock rebellion, Waterlog’s ‘Touchscreen’ is an electrifying anthem for the smartphone generation. It’s biting, brilliant and utterly addictive. Dom Shaw, fresh from collaborations with icons like Peter Gabriel and Squid, channels his studio mastery into a whirlwind of thrashing drums, gnarly basslines, and sharp-tongued satire.
From the first clash of chords, ‘Touchscreen’ bursts to life like a glitchy notification overload, chaotic yet calculated. The song’s core is a hilariously absurd duet between a relentless, ever-optimistic smartphone and its jaded user, a modern-day parable wrapped in a raucous indie pop package. Shaw’s vocals, equal parts wry humor and raw emotion, guide the track through twists and turns, embodying the existential tug-of-war between digital dopamine and real-world disillusionment.
As Shaw shares, “It’s a farcical middle finger to the technology that had such an irreversible effect on me growing up. Oddly enough, the song feels more relevant now than when I wrote it.”
The instrumentation is a riotous joyride, blending early ’00s indie nostalgia with Waterlog’s genre-fluid artistry. Cam Steele’s drumming thrashes with unhinged energy, while Tom Coath’s bassline snarls underneath, locking in with Tatjana Radivoj’s jagged guitar work and Vi Wang’s sax flourishes. It’s polished chaos, a sonic rollercoaster that refuses to stay in its lane.
‘Touchscreen’ is a full-throttle middle finger to the tech-obsessed world. Waterlog have crafted an anthem for our overstimulated times, a track that demands to be played loud, danced to recklessly, and repeated endlessly.
You can also listen to ‘Touchscreen’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
Follow Waterlog:
UNRECORDED 