Michael Sanders, the Austin-based songwriter, composer, and recording artist, has a way of making nostalgia feel brand new. His newest single, “the wild,” delivers an infectious indie pop beat wrapped around layers of melodic hooks that catch you instantly and refuse to let go. With a sound that flirts equally with retro warmth and modern pop urgency, “the wild” is a clear reflection of Sanders’ ability to bridge influences without getting lost in them.
Taken from his upcoming second full-length album fuzzer (due in 2025), “the wild” showcases the careful balance Sanders has curated throughout the project. Fuzzy guitar textures hum underneath the surface, but the track never feels weighed down. Instead, it’s light on its feet, driven by syncopated rhythms and choruses that burst with colorful energy. Every melodic line feels designed to linger, making it almost impossible not to hit repeat after the first listen.
Throughout “the wild,” there’s a wistfulness tucked inside the otherwise upbeat momentum. It’s this emotional undercurrent that ties much of Sanders’ work together—a soft focus lens over vibrant soundscapes. His lyrics hint at yearning and self-reflection, qualities that feel especially potent given his connection to Austin, a city whose music scene thrives on heartfelt storytelling and sonic experimentation.
Sanders describes fuzzer as his “Austin album,” and you can hear it in “the wild”—the open-heartedness, the slightly scrappy charm, and the feeling of endless summer nights spent chasing something just out of reach. In a brisk under-three-minute runtime, he manages to craft a world that feels familiar and exciting all at once, much like the city that inspired it. If “the wild” is any indication, fuzzer is set to be a sharply realized, deeply memorable ride through the many sides of Michael Sanders’ evolving musical identity.
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