If Not Winter (album)

If Not Winter
Studio album by
Wisp
ReleasedAugust 1, 2025
Recorded2024–2025
Genre
Length38:13
Label
Producer
  • Aldn
  • Darcy Baylis
  • Colin Brittain
  • Zach CapittiFenton
  • Julian Emken
  • Gabe Greenland
  • Grayskies
  • Elliott Kozel
  • Kraus
  • Photographic Memory
  • Stint
Wisp chronology
Pandora
(2024) 		If Not Winter
(2025)
Singles from If Not Winter
  1. "Sword"
    Released: March 14, 2025
  2. "Get Back to Me"
    Released: April 18, 2025
  3. "Save Me Now"
    Released: June 6, 2025
  4. "Breathe Onto Me"
    Released: July 18, 2025
  5. "Serpentine"
    Released: July 29, 2025

If Not Winter is the debut studio album by the American musician Wisp, released on August 1, 2025 through Music Soup and Interscope Records. She collaborated with multiple record producers including Stint, Aldn, Julian Emken, Photographic Memory, Kraus, Grayskies and Elliott Kozel, and started worked on new material in 2024.

The album was promoted by the singles "Sword", "Get Back to Me", "Save Me Now", and "Breathe Onto Me". Wisp is scheduled to embark on a headlining tour of North America and Europe in support of the album from August to November 2025, crossing over with a tour supporting System of a Down.

Background and recording

In April 2024, Natalie Lu a.k.a. Wisp released her debut extended play (EP) Pandora.[1] Following a tour in support of the EP in April and May 2024, she began working on her debut album.[2] By January 2025, she was still in the early stages of writing and recording.[3][4]

Whilst working on If Not Winter, Wisp drew influence from the Cocteau Twins album The Moon and the Melodies (1986),[5] Chappell Roan,[4] Whirr and Slowdive.[6][7] She aimed to make it a cohesive[3] and story driven album with greater pop and electronic music influences that would move her past the shoegaze label earned early in her career, which she now found limiting.[5] Wisp described If Not Winter as her "diary" full of entries of her childhood dreams.[8] The album is named in reference to the Sappho poetry collection If Not, Winter (2002).[7]

Release and promotion

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Clash8/10[10]
Kerrang!4/5[11]
NME[12]
Paste7.3/10[13]
Pitchfork5.8/10[14]

On March 14, 2025, Wisp released "Sword" as the lead single from If Not Winter.[15] On April 13, 2025, Wisp debuted "Get Back to Me" and an untitled song live at Coachella;[16] the former was released the album's second single on April 18.[17][18] In an interview with Paper, she said the album was intended for release in July 2025.[16] On June 6, 2025, "Save Me Now" was released as the third single.[19] On June 24, 2025, Wisp announced If Not Winter had been completed after a year in production[20] and would be released on August 1; a visualizer for "Save Me Now" was released concurrently.[21][22] "Breathe Onto Me" was released as the album's fourth single on July 18, 2025.[23] "Serpentine" was released as the album's fifth and final single on July 29, 2025.

Wisp is scheduled to embark on a headlining tour of North America and Europe in support of If Not Winter between August 22 and November 2, 2025.[21][24] In between the tour, she is scheduled to support System of a Down between August 22 and September 3.[24]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Sword"
2:26
2."Breathe Onto Me"
  • Lu
  • Zach CapittiFenton
  • Epstein
  • Grayskies
  • CapittiFenton
  • Grayskies
  • Photographic Memory
  • Stint
3:58
3."Save Me Now"
  • Brittain
  • Stint
3:02
4."After Dark"
  • Lu
  • Robinson
  • Greenland
  • Bhattacharyya
  • Aldn
  • Greenland
  • Stint
2:55
5."Guide Light"
  • Lu
  • Grayskies
  • Daniel Phillips
  • Liam Toon
  • Grayskies
  • Stint
3:48
6."Latvia"
  • Lu
  • Bhattacharyya
Stint1:14
7."If Not Winter"
  • Lu
  • Robinson
  • Greenland
  • Bhattacharyya
  • Aldn
  • Greenland
  • Stint
4:46
8."Mesmerized"
  • Lu
  • Epstein
  • CapittiFenton
  • CapittiFenton
  • Photographic Memory
  • Stint
3:35
9."Serpentine"
  • Lu
  • Epstein
  • Darcy Baylis
  • Photographic Memory
  • Baylis
  • Stint
3:04
10."Get Back to Me"
  • Lu
  • Bhattacharyya
  • Robinson
  • Elliott Kozel
  • Greenland
  • Aldn
  • Kozel
  • Greenland
  • Stint
3:10
11."Black Swan"
4:25
12."All I Need"
  • Lu
  • Robinson
  • Greenland
  • Aldn
  • Greenland
  • Stint
1:50
Total length:38:13

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[25]

  • Wisp – vocals
  • Lars Stalfors – mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4–12)
  • Stephen Kaye – mixing (3)
  • Ruairi O'Flaherty – mastering
  • Zach Fenton – drums (1–4, 7, 9–11)
  • George Janho – engineering (1, 3), additional engineering (2, 4, 7–9, 11, 12), drum programming (10)
  • Max Epstein – electric guitar (1, 2), engineering (1, 3, 9), additional engineering (2, 8, 11), drum programming (10)
  • Stint – engineering (3), vocal engineering (2–5, 7–12), additional engineering (4, 7, 12)
  • Jannick Frampton – additional mixing (3)
  • Daniel Phillips – bass (5)
  • Liam Toon – drums (5)

References

  1. ^ Enis, Eli (December 17, 2024). "The Best Shoegaze Songs Of 2024". Stereogum. Archived from the original on January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Porcar, Pablo (July 3, 2024). "[Entrevista] Wisp: "No me creía lo que estaba pasando cuando se viralizó mi música" - Binaural" [ [Interview] Wisp: "I couldn't believe what was happening when my music went viral."]. Binaural (in Spanish). Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Firth, Abigail (January 16, 2025). "Hype List 2025: Wisp is reinvigorating shoegaze for a new generation". Dork. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Ewens, Hannah (January 21, 2025). "Wisp: The new face of nü gaze". Alternative Press. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Fenison, Ben (June 9, 2025). "Wisp on Leaving "Shoegaze" Behind: Exclusive Coachella Interview 2025". Medicine Box. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  6. ^ Newton, Felicity (June 25, 2025). "Wisp has announced their debut album 'If Not Winter' for August". Dork. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  7. ^ a b David, Laura (July 28, 2025). "Wisp is proof the internet can still make rock stars". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  8. ^ Geist, Brandon (August 1, 2025). "Hear nu-gaze rising star WISP's debut album 'If Not Winter'". Revolver. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  9. ^ Phares, Heather. "If Not Winter - Wisp | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  10. ^ Murray, Robin (August 1, 2025). "Wisp – If Not Winter | Reviews". Clash Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  11. ^ Wilkes, Emma (July 29, 2025). "Album review: Wisp – If not winter". Kerrang!. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  12. ^ Hé, Kristen S. (July 30, 2025). "Wisp – 'If Not Winter' review: pop shoegaze with ambition and vulnerability". NME. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  13. ^ Abercrombie, Olivia (August 1, 2025). "Wisp Sinks Her Teeth Into Shoegaze Ideas on If Not Winter". Paste. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  14. ^ Press-Reynolds, Kieran (August 1, 2025). "Wisp: If Not Winter". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  15. ^ Adams, Gregory (March 14, 2025). "Hear System of a Down-approved nu-gazer Wisp's new song "Sword"". Revolver. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Campbell, Erica (April 17, 2025). "Coachella Backstage Interviews 2025". Paper. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  17. ^ Hardman, Neville (April 18, 2025). "Wisp tries to break self-destructive loops on "Get back to me"". Alternative Press. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  18. ^ Cao, Katie (April 17, 2025). "Wisp Debuts 'Get Back to Me' at Coachella & More | Billboard News". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  19. ^ Garner, Emily (June 6, 2025). "Listen to Wisp's "vulnerable" new single, Save me now". Kerrang!. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  20. ^ Sticky (June 6, 2025). "Wisp、待望のデビューアルバム『If Not Winter』を 8/1 リリース！". indienative (in Japanese). Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Pearis, Bill (June 24, 2025). "Wisp announce debut album & headline tour: hear 3 tracks". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  22. ^ Breihan, Tom (June 24, 2025). "Wisp Announces Debut Album 'If Not Winter': Hear "Save Me Now"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  23. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (July 18, 2025). "Wisp Offers One More Pre-Album Single With 'Breathe Onto Me'". Uproxx. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  24. ^ a b Brasil, Sydney (June 24, 2025). "Wisp Details Debut Album 'If Not Winter,' Plots Tour". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  25. ^ "If Not Winter / Wisp / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
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