There’s a different kind of weight to “Catch a Wave.”
On the new single, AWOLNATION link up with North Shore big-wave champion turned musician Makua Rothman for a tribute to surfers who lost their lives. Recorded at Top Tomato Market in Venice with producer Jimmy Messer, the track transforms personal loss into something communal and cathartic.
Frontman Aaron Bruno has said the song was sparked by losing a fellow surfer in the water, the first time he experienced that kind of tragedy up close. Rather than cast the ocean as the villain, Bruno leaned into the duality at the heart of surf culture. The sea is danger and devotion at once. It can take everything, but it is also where many feel most alive.
Rothman brings lived experience to the record. Raised on Oahu’s North Shore, he began surfing at two years old and later built a reputation charging some of the world’s heaviest breaks. At 18, he rode a 66-foot wave at Peʻahi, known as Jaws, earning a Billabong XXL Big Wave Award according to the World Surf League. In 2015, he won the WSL Big Wave World Tour Championship.
In 2018, Rothman survived a violent wipeout at Cloudbreak in Fiji that drew coverage from outlets including NBC News and TMZ, a reminder of how thin the line can be between triumph and tragedy in big wave surfing. That history gives “Catch a Wave” added gravity. The accompanying video pays tribute to what Rothman calls “Wave Warriors,” surfers who died doing what they loved.
“This song is special because it gives me the opportunity to share outside of myself,” Rothman said. The video stands as a memorial, designed to keep their stories alive.
For AWOLNATION, known for explosive alt-rock anthems and left-field production, “Catch a Wave” feels restrained and intentional. It trades bombast for reflection without losing emotional punch.
Watch The Video for “Catch a Wave”
“Catch a Wave” is this week’s official Song of the Week for Skratch N Sniff and The Pier. You can hear it featured on the SNS Alt Show this weekend. To find out where the show airs in your city, head to https://snsmix.com/radio/ for station listings and broadcast times.