The past few months have shown us that things can turn completely upside down in the blink of an eye. Three months ago, I was necking pints in my local, doing a terrible rendition of ‘Foundations’ by Kate Nash on karaoke. Grabbing coffee with friends and catching our favourite bands live. Yet, here I am, alternately flitting between house and garden and TikTok and Instagram with the same feverish boredom. I’m embarrassed to admit my screen time.
But Vistas have delivered the perfect album to break up the tedium. Aptly named Everything Changes In The End and overflowing with feel-good summer anthems, the Edinburgh three-piece’s debut has been a long time coming.
“We’re immensely proud of the album, and it’s a reflection of how hard we’ve worked since starting together in high school,” guitarist, Dylan Rush tells us.
It’s essentially that classic coming of age story.
The possibility of albums being pushed back at the moment is pretty high. Yet, for Vistas, there’s no time like the present. “We just felt that we had built up to this release date for so long, we didn’t want to disappoint anyone,” explains Dylan.
“Ultimately, we came to the conclusion that we’re in a time now more than ever that needs music, so hopefully this album can help give some needed joy to people.”
There’s no doubt of that. Coming from a band that “by default, [are] optimistic people”, it is no surprise that ECITE is distinctly sunshiny. Even faced with a sea of uncertainty, Vistas’ sunny outlook on life glides through on a collection of real windows down, chanting the words at the top of your lungs tracks.
The recording of the album offered some much-needed chill time after a few years of non-stop touring.
“We recorded the album in Big Jelly Studios – it’s this converted old church in this place called Ramsgate…we lived there and recorded the album for about a month.”
With the likes of Metronomy and Pete Doherty having ventured down to record there, it seems the idyllic album recording experience.
“It was a nice change of scenery for us,” Dylan reflects. “We were right next to the beach, so we could get some needed fresh air from the studio. It’s a funny little town, and is home to the biggest Wetherspoons in the UK which definitely had some interesting characters. It was really sunny [though] and we got to swim in the sea…”
We’re immensely proud of the album, it’s a reflection of how hard we’ve worked since starting together in high school.
This quirky setting and its breezy seaside air has palpably rubbed off on the album. The band craft distinctive, intimate characters through their lyrics, detailing experiences that seem incredibly personal but have a prevailing relatability to them.
“It’s essentially that classic coming of age story that everyone goes through as they turn into an adult. It’s about growing up and navigating your way through love and friendships, remembering the good times, and giving your mates a shout if you need them.”
Vistas’ relatable lyrics are charming, and tinged with an intimacy and intensity that captures a frenetic sense of youthful ambition and hopefulness. An energetic mix that often emerges in every aspect of their work.
The band are known for their chaotic, raucous live shows; the infectious nature of their songs inspires frenzy amongst their fans. Dylan decides that “the best thing about playing gigs is when something completely unexpected happens,” like a crowd-surfer who lasted the entirety of ‘Tigerblood’ at their Halloween show in London last year.
“It’s also really cool getting to meet people after the show – it’s really nice to chat to everyone at the merch desk. The best feeling comes when you’ve played loads and you’re a really tight band and the crowd are singing all the words.”
By default, we’re optimistic people.
Through supporting a myriad of different bands over the years and a fair bit of sheer hard graft, Vistas have built up a solid fanbase. Their songs lend themselves to sing-alongs, and a tight-knit community seems to have stemmed from that.
This positivity and closeness has proved useful in these unexpected circumstances. Prior to lockdown, the band were set to appear at SXSW in Austin, Texas, as well as a string of in-store gigs, a UK tour and filming a music video for ‘15 Years’ over the past few months, which naturally has become impossible. However, the band have really come through with the alternatives.
“The 15 Years video came out of necessity, really – we had originally planned to record a video for it in London. We just thought what better way to engage with the fans than have them feature as the video.”
“We’ve [also] been doing live streams, ‘Vistas Pub’ cover streams, and some other fun stuff – we made a Vistas group chat on Discord, a Minecraft server for our fans, Jamie hosted a FIFA charity stream where we got some of our mates in bands to play.”
It seems Vistas aren’t letting the dreaded Corona stop them interacting with their listeners. Maybe it isn’t the environment Bear Grylls envisioned when he said “improvise, adapt, overcome”, but they have fulfilled his mantra completely when it comes to fan engagement.
Though there are many contenders, the album’s highlight comes in ‘Sentimental’. With that classic Vistas enthusiasm rising to absolute elation by the end, the track captures the essence of the album completely. Dylan declares it his favourite: “It’s a song about being on tour and missing home. We had been on tour and recording our album for a while, and it fit the mood of how we were all feeling at that point. But it’s also about missing being on tour, with your mates, and the fun you have there.
I hope ECITE gives people hope to hold out for the best times of their lives because they’re yet to come.
“I think a lot of musicians can struggle with the balance of these two aspects, but I feel really lucky that I get to have both… I also remember nailing the guitar part in one take.”
With a world turned upside down, things can seem desolate. In the form of Everything Changes In The End, Vistas have delivered some hope to get us through. A nostalgic trip back in time, it also glances to a brighter future, clinging to the self-assured joy of before. There’s a message of promise running throughout that we need more than ever.
“When we recorded the album last summer, we couldn’t foresee how relevant the album would be a year later, and I hope it gives people hope to hold out for the best times of their lives because they’re yet to come.”
With Everything Changes In The End it suddenly seems like things could be a bit brighter. Thanks, Vistas.
Listen to Vistas on Spotify and Apple Music. Or, grab a copy of our lovely print magazine HERE.
