Del Water Gap Is “Chasing the Chimera”
On November 7th, 2025, Holden Jaffe, under the artist name Del Water Gap, released his 4th album to date. After his in his self-titled album breakout song, “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” the Brooklyn native quickly soared to the top of the roster of indie-rock newcomers. With a deluxe of his 3rd album being the only real release of his in all of 2024, by the latter half of 2025, fans were ready for more. Chasing the Chimera answered their impatient prayers.
“Marigolds” is a mantra to the one that got away, and lyrically it’s beautifully reflective, as he drones on “I wanna tell you I’m sorry // I never told you I loved you when I still could” for the last third of the song. I wish he’d have intensified the melody or the instrumentation as he repeated this sentiment, some sort of a sonic equivalent to contemplation, but it’s a decent start to the album.
Our next song, “Small Town Joan of Arc” strums along in an acoustic, early 2000s almost Teenage-Dirtbag esque sound. Even the lyrics are reminiscent of some self-proclaimed-girl-repelling, self-disparaging kid with a guitar, very on brand with that sound. I wish his lead vocals on this track were less muted and more raw sounding to really drive that early indie rock 2000s sound home; back when male singers were hungry and unapologetically abrasive. Regardless of the lead vocals’ mix, this song is a bop, from the silly little banjo riffs that somehow work so well, to the guitar licks, to bass-driving outro.
“How To Live” follows that more indie/alt rock classic sound Del Water Gap has established, his reverbed voice echoing over verses and then giving way to a truly addictive chorus melody. This song is like a vocally dreamier The 1975 song.
Chasing the Chimera album cover
“Please Follow” is an interesting change-up with bass driving us into the song with an r&b cadence. At no point did I know what was coming next in this song, and I loved that. A beat that sounds a lot like “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party” by Hayley Williams, an electric, buzzing, crunchy tone that the guitar solos here and there, a distant, brassy horn, a string section pitched in the stratosphere sliding up and down above it all only to become cinematic sounding towards the end, random sound effects I can’t even place (sirens? wind?). I was constantly surprised and all the more consistently pleased with the direction of this song. Please Follow, and follow I did.
“Eastside Girls” warms us with a really gentle but compelling brass section and a dejected-sounding singer, singing of sorrowful lonesome despite being enveloped in a rather inviting and comforting, dreamy sound.
“New Personality” begins with a similarity to Del Water Gap’s breakout song “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat” but stays more mellow throughout as the synth drones, the piano lightly treads on, and the chimes waterfall dreamily. The sax solo beneath chimes dangling is an interesting juxtaposition to a sound that I’m not sure I love, but definitely don’t hate.
“We Don’t Have To Take It Slow” comes in sorrowful at the grand piano and singing echoing. When the drums come in big and hollow at verse 2, the song becomes a beautiful, resonant ballad.
“Never Speak Again” is a fun and inconsequential song of not loving someone back uncaring. Much like the mantra of the person the song is about, this song is fine and fun, but I don’t necessarily love it nor is it anything special. “Ghost In the Uniform” follows this “just fine” type sound. Addictive pre chorus and chorus melody once again, otherwise the instrumentation is a little redundant.
Del Water Gap playing to a sold out show at Electric Ballroom, London 2024
“Waiting on the Day” is an underrated gem of a song, with a resounding acoustic guitar plucking and bending to and fro that reminds me of a stripped back version of “Part of the Band” by The 1975. The latter half of the song really builds and then unfortunately is over too quickly. This song has a less melancholic Lizzy McAlpine sound to it, though lyrically the lyrics are aptly Lizzy McAlpine-yearning.
“Damn” follows and… why did the first line sound like Post Malone? I digress. Anyways, “Damn” has this constant hammering to it that resembles the likes of “New Personality” in the verses but releases into a more youthful, night-driving-freedom ambience for the choruses. It’s a short, sweet, to-the-point, bop that I would definitely hang out a sunroof to past my curfew.
“Eagle In My Nest” is a sweet send off to the album. There’s this weird plucking that has been peppered throughout other songs that sends the song out, and it’s a very Disney-esque sound. This song lacks any compelling nature for me, so while it’s a safe send off to the album, it’s really no grand exit.
Chasing the Chimera is a super solid piece of work. The sound is interesting yet homogeneous throughout, the lyrics are touching and mildly introspective, the production seems a little muted but elsewise is good, the musicianship is there; it’s an album I’ll repeatedly reach for, or pepper throughout my various playlists. What I think my biggest issue with Jaffe’s sound is he lacks compelling conviction, mainly vocally. He goes just above a mumble in his songs; I rarely feel a hunger behind the words he sings, a need to be heard. I think because of this, the end of the album began to lag for me, despite the instrumental sections consisting of a lot of things I like sonically. Sometimes this head-down meager singing works well for him, I think it’s rather complementary in “We Don’t Have To Take It Slow” or in hammering choruses where the melody does the heavy lifting regarding holding interest anyway. But sometimes I want to hear a devotion to the cause you’re singing, I want to hear the conversation stuck in your throat bellowing.