Ottawa’s indie pop duo Wotts again, kicking off their new EP COPE with “terminal,” a track boiling with the restless energy of a relationship’s messy aftermath. Not your average, sad-sack breakup ballad, but an R&B-kissed, indie rock jam that jumps into the anxious headspace we’ve all faced when things fall apart. For vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jayem and bassist/guitarist Ricky 100, this single is a confident return to their roots, proving that the best way to move forward is sometimes to glance back.
“terminal” establishes this hazy, can’t-look-away vibe. Produced by Jayem, the song threads dreamy synth through a groove-soaked rhythm that feels chill and laser-focused simultaneously. This sound is actually a homecoming for Wotts, who started as a hip-hop collective before switching lanes during the pandemic. As Jayem puts it, “This song is a bit of a nod to that beginning,” and that fusion of their past and present creates something you just can’t ignore.
The title “terminal” is a brilliant metaphor for the song’s theme. Jayem nails that emotional limbo, comparing it to being stuck in an airport: “you go through the motions… but in the end you just have to sit around for a long time before you can get to the next spot.” That feeling of suspended animation is captured right there in the music’s steady, pulsating groove. Ricky 100’s bass work provides the foundational heartbeat, a low-end thrum that carries all that heavy emotion, while Jayem’s vocals float over the top, capturing that blurry, unresolved mess of a breakup that didn’t end clean.
As the lead single for the COPE EP, “terminal” sets up a project that’s all about living in that uncomfortable space. After their previous EP FLANKI, which dealt with loss, COPE digs into what happens next. The duo isn’t handing out neat little answers here, rather they’re giving us a sonic companion for anyone grinding through the unknown. It’s real, it’s something we’ve all been through, and damn, it’s got a beat that’ll pull you under.
Wotts have already torn up stages at RBC Bluesfest and Canadian Music Week, and with “terminal,” they’re proving why they’re masters at creating smart, emotionally charged pop-rock. It’s a track that asks to be felt, that wants to crawl under your skin. So let the groove sink in, and get ready to cope along with them.