Etherdene’s ‘Water is for Walking’ is an indie pop dream of sylistic semi-lucidity –

Etherdene has never left anything to be desired in the stylistic department, but with her latest single, Water is for Walking, the trailblazing singer-songwriter toyed with the aesthetics of indie with more fervour than ever, allowing the motifs of post-punk to go pop in the vortex of her dreamy sonic signature. An anthem for the overthinkers, the new wave synth-pop obsessed, and those who will never get over the pull of 00s electronic pop nostalgia, Water is for Walking is as fluid as the titular element. The oceanic semi-lucidity stands as a testament to both Etherdene’s talent and authenticity as an artist; it’s no surprise to see so many pulled into the gravity of her orbit as she spills soul, style, and colour onto the airwaves through sheer etherealism.

South African-born and Oregon-based, Etherdene (the moniker of Dala Botha) is a creative polymath whose artistry has spanned both sound and design. After years of threading melody into meaning through her former band Kaktus and exploring her aptitude for production, she stepped into her solo stride in 2020. Since then, her output has become a mirror for her innate ability to fuse introspection with sensory sublimity.

The dreamlike pull of Water is for Walking reaffirms Etherdene’s place as an architect of emotional resonance in modern alt-pop.

Water is for Walking is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast