September 2021 marked the 15th anniversary of the first rehearsal of what we now know as LA-based band Inner Wave. Its founding trio—composed of Pablo Sotelo, Elijah Trujillo (guitar), and Jean Pierre Narvaez (bass, vox)—set off as middle schoolers with a certain kind of gusto, and they’ve never forgotten it. Now in their 20s, Inner Wave is in its tightest formation yet. With the addition of drummer Luis Portillo and keyboardist Jose Cruz, its members feel more musically connected and confident than ever before.

Apoptosis (2021), the quintet's fourth LP Apoptosis, is a trip into the band’s familiar realm of electronic, soul, and garage-rock.This time, however, the details are especially intricate; is experimental yet intentional. It is far-fetched in theory, but not out of reach in its final presentation. The LP name is derived from a biological term for the death of cells, Sotelo explains. Like their recent tribulation and renewal, the process of apoptosis is normal—part of an organism’s development.

“Coming out of the pandemic,” Sotelo says, “having gone through so much and restructuring our team, we reverted back to being very hands-on—like we were for 11 years. Now I feel very confident: we're like a musical tank.” This year, the band has already embarked on a North America tour, supported Boy Pablo in his European tour, and played at festivals like Coachella,Outside Lands, and Pickathon.