LOS ANGELES, CA- Every now and then a band drops into your orbit that makes you wonder how you’ve missed them until now. That’s exactly how I felt when I pressed play on Ripe’s latest single, “Strangers (feat. Cory Wong).” It’s the kind of track that immediately draws you in with its carefully built layers, starting not with horns or bombast, but with tender vocal harmonies and crystalline keys that shimmer like glass. From the jump, there’s a sense of intimacy, almost like the band is inviting you closer before the rest of the song unfolds.
Once the rhythm guitar kicks in, the track takes on its real shape. It’s not flashy, but it’s steady and infectious, giving the song its backbone and setting up the groove that drives everything else forward. That groove is what makes “Strangers” so easy to fall into. It feels expertly crafted, locked in tight, and pulsing with a kind of understated confidence. It feels like the band knows exactly how to balance energy and restraint.
And then, when the horns finally arrive, they elevate the whole thing to another level. Instead of being the first thing you hear, they’re the payoff, bursting in with a kind of celebratory punch that feels earned. Add Cory Wong’s signature rhythm guitar work into the mix, and you’ve got a track that’s equal parts polished and playful. His Grammy-nominated precision blends seamlessly with Ripe’s vibe, making this collaboration feel less like a guest feature and more like a jam between longtime friends.
Lyrically, the song sits in an intriguing place between introspection and uplift. Frontman Robbie Wulfsohn takes inspiration from a chaotic Uber ride and spins it into a bigger question: what does it mean to really know someone? The chorus keeps circling back to that uncertainty: “Am I gonna be made to listen? Am I gonna make it out in one piece? Am I gonna be made to witness strangers?” It’s rhetorical, but it works because the music around it feels alive, even joyous.
The push and pull between melancholy and groove is what makes this track so special. It’s a song about chaos, questions, and fleeting connections, but it never gets weighed down by heaviness. Instead, it rides the balance of sadness and joy with an ease that makes you want to both dance and reflect.
With their new album Play the Game due September 19 via Glassnote Records, produced by four-time Grammy winner Joe Chiccarelli, Ripe seems poised to deliver their most ambitious project yet. If “Strangers” is any indication, it’s feels like they’ve struck gold melding their jam-band roots with tight songwriting and polished production.
This is my first real introduction to Ripe, and I get why they’ve already racked up tens of millions of streams and become a staple at major festivals. It doesn’t surprise me at all that they’re heading out on tour with Allen Stone. Their musicality, groove, and energy make that pairing feel inevitable.
For a band I hadn’t heard before, Ripe has made a strong impression. “Strangers” feels like the kind of song that welcomes you into their world: bold, bittersweet, and irresistibly groovy. And if the rest of Play the Game hits this hard, I can see myself diving headfirst into their catalog.
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