Gearing up for the release of their debut full-length album, Nothing Like You Wanted, a captivating 10-track journey expected to drop in the summer of 2024, Rematch is premiering their new single and accompanying music video for “Retrograde” exclusively with idobi Radio. The new single, created by Alex Vito on vocals, Mike Stranczek and Noah Polino on guitars, Josh Cosentino on bass, and Austin Gannon on drums, marks the group’s first preview of their forthcoming album and our first taste of new music in 2023.
As “Retrograde” echoes across idobi Radio throughout the day, which you can tune into here, listeners are in for a treat. We seized the opportunity to catch up with Rematch, delving into the inspiration behind the leading single, the creative vision fueling the music video, and the thematic depth explored within the upcoming album. Dive into Rematch‘s latest creation, “Retrograde,” and explore our exclusive Q&A with guitarists Mike Stranczek and Noah Polino below.
What was the initial inspiration behind “Retrograde” as you were writing and recording the track?
Noah Polino: I was cleaning my room one day and found a blonde hair. Months after [I found the] blonde hair that had been in my room, I got to reminiscing, and that first verse was what came out. The rest of the song came as easily once we all got together.
Mike Stranczek: Once Noah brought in that first verse idea, it was super easy to connect it to a chorus, and the song fell into place really quickly and organically. When it came time to track the song, we ended up swapping some parts around, but it really came to life the way I expected it to.
How did you incorporate the message and emotion of the track into the accompanying video?
NP: The video treatment was much more straightforward at first, about a relationship dissolving. But we had to go to Plan B and then Plan C on that one. Phil Goode, the director, actually came up with the concept of us directing our own video and sabotaging it, and we had a blast. I think the “shot of girl leaving, shot of boy being sad” has been done in the genre enough times that we could have a little fun with this one.
“Retrograde” marks your first single from your forthcoming full-length album. Tell us more about the album and what the primary themes are across it.
NP: The album was a ton of fun to make, Sam Guaiana really brought out the best in us! It was also cathartic in a way I can only express through writing. Pretty much everything in my head from 2020 to the day we recorded got to make it on the record. Personally, the theme of this record was maturely moving on from dead-end relationships in a way where looking back at the past isn’t like staring at the sun. Letting go, knowing things will be okay, the bittersweet feeling of that. I think listening to this record will definitely feel like losing a friend more than a lover.
MS: I think a lot of this album deals with growth. Realizing that who you needed at one point in your life isn’t necessarily who you need now. If you spend too much time worrying about the end of something, you can’t appreciate the beginning of something new.
What made you decide to lead the album cycle with “Retrograde”? What made it stand out amongst the album’s tracklisting that you thought fans would connect to?
MS: I feel like “Retrograde” was an easy choice as the first single for this album because we feel like it is a good bridge between our older songs and some of the newer vibes on the record. It checked a lot of boxes for things we like in a single; relatable lyrics, a big chorus, and good energy are all elements we wanted the first single to have.
NP: “Retrograde” is the spiritual sister to a song off our last EP titled “Words That Rhyme With Liar.” It felt like a good way to start out this next phase of the band. The heavy drums and dogpile bridge will make it super fun [to play] live.
What track are you most excited for fans to hear from the album?
NP: I think the entire band would give you different answers depending on the day, but I think the standouts are “Million,” “Photo City,” and “Cold Sweat.” Million is a great showcase of what Rematch is capable of—doing some stuff we haven’t really done before. “Photo City” pays homage to some of our biggest influences, like blink-182 and The Cure. “Cold Sweat” is sort of a departure from our typical songwriting and pushed us out of our typical comfort zone to create something cool.
MS: I think we are stoked about all the tracks on the album. For me, “6Speed” is a super fun song that deals with the dichotomy of feeling like you’re on top of the world one minute and then feeling completely lost and hopeless the next.
You’ll also be embarking on a short tour run in mid-December. Aside from “Retrograde,” will you be performing any of the album’s other tracks on the tour?
MS: YES! We will be playing two other tracks off the new album titled “Take It All Back” and “6Speed.” We picked these songs because they have a lot of energy and are fun for us to play.
Rematch Tour Dates:
- Dec. 11—Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
- Dec. 12—Nashville, TN @ The Basement
- Dec. 13—Newport, KY @ Southgate House Revival
- Dec. 14—Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge
- Dec. 17—Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
