W: Mandy Morgan

Released on the artist-friendly label Last Night From Glasgow, "Making It (Up)" is a sophisticated step forward for Draped Apes. It manages to be cerebral without being pretentious, and raw without being messy. In a landscape of predictable indie-rock, Draped Apes are quite literally making it up as they go—and the result is essential listening.

"Making It (Up)" is available now on all streaming platforms.

Nashville is a city known for its polish, but Draped Apes—the latest project from multi-instrumentalist Timoscles—is finding beauty in the scuffs and scratches. Following the success of his previous outfit, André Salvador and the Von Kings (which cracked the UK Top 40 Independent Album Charts), Timoscles has returned with a sound that is decidedly looser, weirder, and infinitely more magnetic.

Their second single, "Making It (Up)," is already making waves across the pond, securing airplay on BBC 6Music and cementing the band’s self-defined "Art Garage Rock" aesthetic.

If their debut introduced the world to the Draped Apes universe, "Making It (Up)" defines it. The band describes the track as a sonic collision: "Heatmiser trying to make a Wilco track." It’s a reference for the indie-literate, but for the uninitiated, it translates to a perfect tension between raw, kinetic energy and sophisticated songwriting.

The track is built on a foundation of:

• Kinetic Drums: Driving the energy forward with a restless pulse.
• Jangly Guitars: Providing a bright, rhythmic counterpoint to the grit.
• Scattered Keys: Loose, improvisational flourishes that add a layer of beautiful unpredictability.

At the centre of this musical whirlwind is Timoscles’ vocal performance. It is understated and coolly detached, acting as the anchor that suggests everything is under control, even as the arrangement threatens to spiral into delightful chaos.

The "no rules" ethos of Draped Apes isn’t just marketing speak; it’s baked into the recording process. The basic tracks for the single were captured during a frenetic 30-day session in a vacant matriarch’s house tucked away in the woods of Upstate New York.

The isolation of the setting—surrounded by nothing but trees and water—infused the recording with an organic vitality that can’t be manufactured in a sterile studio. These raw sessions were later brought back to Nashville, where they were refined using a blend of analogue and digital techniques to achieve that signature "psych polish."

Despite its hook-heavy nature and earworm melodies, "Making It (Up)" carries a weightier subtext. Timoscles notes that the song is an exploration of the human condition.

"When your ears crave something a little different, reach for Draped Apes… this song celebrates the futility of life," says Timoscles.

It is this balance of rock and roll bravado and genuine vulnerability that makes the track stand out. It’s music for people who want to dance while they contemplate the void.