As we near 110°F in Florida mid-September, the need to immerse myself in a different reality grows. The yearning ache I feel for fall and winter weather fuels me to build playlists and pretend I’m somewhere else by adding decorations, watching vibey movies, and getting away from the sun before I melt. In order to build those playlists, I dive into new music and can tell from the first few seconds whether or not it belongs on my seasonal shelf.
nice day released about a week ago, from a Miami-based band I wasn’t familiar with myself, but one that my close friend with unmatched taste recognized and gave a gold star. There’s something about this group, airhockey, that speaks to me and pulls me in like a magnet. The feeling they invoke is quiet, inexplicable, and intangible; the way the best feelings are experienced.
This track is the leading single off their debut LP that’s releasing in January of 2027, a bite-sized treat for dreampop and shoegaze lovers everywhere. The vocals are impeccable, reverb-heavy, and create a perfect pairing with the atmospheric guitars and sweet smacks of the drumset.
While listening to this single I envision myself treading through snow on a calm winter’s morning, or kicking pinecones down the wooded walking trail at dusk. It’s always a lone walk surrounded by nature during the moments where the sky looks the most colorful and serene. Many people enjoy listening to music with others, whereas I tend to cocoon into myself and do my best introspection and somatic release when I let my body soak it in without an audience.
Fans of shoegaze, dreampop, and indie rock should all give this a listen as we move into the best seasons of the year. Add nice day to your playlist now, follow airhockey on socials, and wait patiently (or impatiently) alongside me for January when the full LP drops!
Written by Newt Fangs
