Lincoln’s Oreaganomics have struck a nerve with their latest single ‘Wasting Summer Online’, a slyly infectious track that captures the bittersweet frustration of a season spent behind a screen instead of under the sun. In an era where algorithms devour our free time and memories are more likely to be made through a phone camera than in a park or on a rooftop, Oreaganomics deliver a wake-up call dressed as a summer jam.
From the jump, ‘Wasting Summer Online’ feels both tongue-in-cheek and earnest. The production sparkles with playful energy- unexpected effects, colourful sonic detours, and punchy edits lend the song a restless spirit that mirrors its central theme. You can almost hear the sunlight peeking through the cracks of a dark bedroom as the protagonist wonders how they ended up missing the best months of the year.
The band’s DIY approach shines through, with BandLab sessions punctuated by real-world intrusions (a bluejay cameo here, a killdeer there), further grounding the track in a natural world the lyrics encourage us to rejoin.
Oreaganomics deliver sly observations on modern disconnection. There’s an almost comedic edge to the notion of men scrolling endlessly when they could be falling in love on some sweaty summer dance floor or at a hazy backyard gathering. But beneath the humour is a sincere longing for something real- connection, spontaneity, maybe even a fleeting romance before the leaves start to turn.
While the band admits they prefer live streams to crowded gigs, ‘Wasting Summer Online’ pulses with an energy that practically begs to be shared in the open air, with friends singing along as the sun dips below the horizon. In that sense, the track itself becomes an invitation- one that might just get you to shut your laptop, toss your phone aside, and go make that impulsive memory you’ll talk about for years.
Oreaganomics may joke that their message might get lost in the noise, but there’s no mistaking the heart at the centre of ‘Wasting Summer Online’. It’s a vibrant reminder that while the internet will always be there, these summer nights- messy, fleeting, and painfully beautiful- won’t wait around forever.