'Malibu' by The Driver Era is the Song of the Summer

Originally written for Ease Up Magazine.

Hot, heavy air. Late beach nights. High risk, high reward. All the motifs of a dreamy, spontaneous summer are captured in The Driver Era’s new summer single “Malibu”. Brotherly duo Ross and Rocky Lynch released their second single of 2022 on July 28  in collaboration with LA singer-songwriter Griff Clawson, nearly a month after the release of their single “Keep Moving Forward” featuring Nikka Costa. With a funky bassline and acoustic guitar, “Malibu” is made for oceanside summer drives, making it a contender for the newest song of the summer.

“Malibu” is best described as musical escapism — lead vocalist Ross Lynch reminisces on dreamscapes and adventures once had with airy background vocals serving as an echo of these memories. “Far from the panic don't know how I live without / Live without / Malibu” Lynch sings in the chorus with breathy vocals and a bassline introduction. The instrumentals of this song are relatively minimal, yet atmospheric, once again pushing the narrative of recollection and getting carried away in an idealistic headspace. 

While the opening intention of the song is to lament on vacations and summer travels, the lyrics personify the places Lynch loves so much, ultimately blurring the lines between places and people as a focus for the song. “All day cuz I don't know better / All day bettin on a chance / Don't wanna watch you slip through my hands” Lynch sings in the song’s opening, a double entendre explaining the fear of both summertime and the person he’s with slipping away despite his desires. “[Malibu] is the spontaneous trip you take with someone – maybe you knew them before, or maybe you’re meeting them for the first time,” the duo explains, nodding to the fact that the people you surround yourself with are just as important as  the places you’re going. 

“Malibu”, along with “Keep Moving Forward”, will be featured on The Driver Era’s newest project “Summer Mixtape”, an album with a release date set in late August. In the meantime, the duo is staying busy with their international summer tour, yet another factor that makes this year an exciting one for both the band and their fans.