Ryan & Anji Lum revisit their 2022 single, “The Call,” with an even moodier and more atmospheric 2025 reboot. The new VIP Mix amplifies the song’s shoegaze and dream pop essence with a bigger, bolder guitar sound and more immersive ethereal vocal harmonies. The hook-laden guitar lead and spacey synths evoke The Cure, while the track’s melancholic yet driving energy harks back to Ryan’s early 90s work, as well as the duo’s 2018 album, ‘Life Goes On.’ Anji’s emotive vocals shift effortlessly between bold confidence and dreamy sincerity, adding depth to the song’s hypnotic pull. A nostalgic yet refreshed take, this version of “The Call” is a hauntingly beautiful throwback with a modern twist.
Out now on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube, and other digital platforms.
Special thanks to Susan Jennings for her classic cover image.
It’s shoega(u)zier and clearer-sounding than the original at the same time. That’s no mean feat! – It’s a nice feat!
(I just found out that “mean” in “no mean feat” means “average,” so “nice” isn’t on-point wordplay. But I digress.)
Oh man, you were just a few hours too late to make it into our new podcast taping! I have to say, it’s a fun surprise to get comments on our website again. Social media really killed people’s interactions with blog posts.