Still toiling through classes, high-schooler Justin Cheromiah has been busy after class basking in the rudiments of new wave under his High Sunn moniker. As with the shoegaze-revivalists before him, such as Beach Fossils, Minks and Craftspells, Cheromiah folds in the spunky jangle of C86 pop and early new wave with the dense aural fixings of shoegaze, resulting in citrus-flavored sadboy pop. wishes, the latest of umpteenth releases churned out by High Sunn, with the help of Tristan Sovannarath on drums and programmed percussion.

The gallivanting opener “protect” sets up a jocund tone for the record. Budding with high hat attacking mechanical patterns, Cheromiah weaves in and out with spunky guitar that cascades with springy youth and energy. Flashes of 80’s synth pop crop up, which pairs well with the personal account of teenage courtship (“don’t give up / who gives a fuck / you’re the one I love, give me your trust”).

The hyperventilating “ok…love…you…bye” urges a feeling that screams of jubilation yet conversely hums with melancholy. The track’s sparky guitars are a derivative of Bernard Sumner’s propensity for staccatos on earlier New Order works. “deprivation”, another descendant of New Order’s influence, is one of the more dance-oriented tracks on the record despite being lukewarm in tempo and having lyrics that deal with regret and guilt.

The volatile dynamics behind teenage love and the baggage that comes with high school love. “courage to talk” chronicles the stereotypical high school shy love in a swaying melodic daze. “yet another girl” borrows the transient closed hi-hats that are a cornerstone of Beach House’s gentle rhythms with plodding arpeggios, as a gutted Cheromiah tries to assuage the damage he’s done.

Trudging through all of the reasons why we hated high school, wishes is a record that makes it a bit easier to revisit.

Cereal Pairing: Trix