TALK IN WAVES – Single Review: “Like You Do”

A long-time favorite artist of mine is Talk in Waves, the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos formerly known as The Frontier. Based in northern Virginia, he’s an enormously talented and gracious guy with a sense of humor to match, and I’m quite fond of him both as an artist and human. Skillfully blending elements of folk, pop, indie rock and electronica, his music is incredibly melodic, flawlessly crafted and always catchy, without sounding overly pop or formula. He produces and records all aspects of his music in his home studio. As with many singer-songwriters, Jake’s songs are often inspired by personal experiences, touching on relatable topics like love, relationships and loss, which are expressed through lyrics that are honest and straightforward, and delivered with his warm, pleasing vocals.

He’s released an impressive amount of music since 2015, including several recent remixes of his songs by other artists, and I’ve written about him numerous times on this blog since 2016. This review constitutes the 10th. (You can find a few of those reviews under the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) I’ve loved all his songs, and four of them – “Dark Places” (2019), “Can We Go Back” (2021), “Closer” (2022) and “Walk Through the Fire” (2023) – have gone all the way to #1 on my Weekly Top 30 chart, while “Sleep” (2020) reached #2. Now he’s back with his latest single “Like You Do“, delivering more of the catchy and melodic goodness we’ve come to love and expect from him.

The song opens with a throbbing synth line accompanied by a gentle drumbeat as Jake begins to sing. Soon, the music expands with a mix of acoustic and electric guitars, colorful layered synths and skittering programmed drumbeats, creating a lush backdrop for Jake’s heartfelt vocals. One of the things I like about his songs is how they sound better and better with repeated listens. As I’ve noted in previous reviews, he’s quite adept at programming synths to create captivating soundscapes that quickly draw us in, then hold us in rapt attention all the way to the finish. With “Like You Do”, a careful listen reveals so many wonderful instrumental textures, like the beautiful acoustic and jangly guitar notes, fuzzy bassline, and complex synths that sound haunting in spots, and almost cinematic in others.

The bittersweet lyrics are directed toward a former romantic partner who the singer desperately longs for, and wishes would come back into his life. Jake has a terrific singing voice, along with a talent for reaching deep in his core to summon a well of emotions that come to the surface with an honest and sincere vulnerability in an expression of heartache and anguish that tugs at our heartstrings.

Feels like I'm running out of time
Can't get this feeling off my mind
I still see you in my dreams
Wonder if you ever dream of me
I just want you in my life
Want it to be right
Figured out who's worth the light
Figured out who's worth the fight

Every song sounds the same, every road leads to waste
The stars, they don't shine without you
All the heartache I felt, all the doubt in myself
Nothing takes that away like you do
Yeah, nothing takes that away like you do

Feels like there's something in the way
Maybe it was something that I didn't have to say
I always thought that I would change
Who am I to tell you what to think of me anyway?
I just want you in my life
Want it to be right
Figured out who's worth the light
Figured out who's worth the fight

Every song sounds the same, every road leads to waste
The stars, they don't shine without you
All the heartache I felt, all the doubt in myself
Nothing takes that away like you do
Yeah, nothing takes that away like you do
 
If the moment is gone, we can find a way to hold on
Every song sounds the same, every road leads to waste
The stars, they don't shine without you
All the heartache I felt, all the doubt in myself
Nothing takes that away like you do
Yeah, nothing takes that away like you do