Kid Wave, a quartet from London made up of 22-year-old singer-songwriter Lea Emmery, guitarist Mattias Bhatt, drummer Serra Petale and bassist Harry Deacon, were all kids of the ‘90s—as in born in the 1990s. But on their debut album Wonderlust, you’re brought back to the music of that time; you can imagine what Sonic Youth or Pavement would’ve sounded like if they broke out in the age of social media. A little bit dreamy, a little bit indie, and a little bit pop, Kid Wave’s timeless songs are set to be this summer’s soundtrack; Wonderlust drops on June 2. Emmery talks to MySpace about how the band came together, how ABBA shaped their sound, and their plans for world domination.

Hometown: Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden

Current residence: London

How did the members of Kid Wave all meet?

I met Serra at a music college in Hackney while studying sound engineering. Mattias and I have known each other for years, we met while playing in different bands in Norrköping (Sweden). We then met Harry via mutual friends and music here in England.

How did you get interested in music? Are you from a musical family?

I discovered music quite late in life compared to my bandmates; music wasn’t really a part of my life growing up. I started playing the piano at the age of 11 but hated it. I just wanted to be in the stable and around horses and stuff at the time. But then I woke up one day as a teenager and all I wanted to do was music. I picked up piano again and started to sing and play guitar as well, and a nowadays also a bit of drums which I think is by far the most fun instrument to play.

What’s behind the album name?

It summarizes the vibe of the album, I think. Wonderlust is a play on words that to me represents an urge to dream/drift away from reality and demands of today’s society.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you before?

Early on in this project I used to describe the sound and vibe I was after as a train or car going on and on, on a straight road. ... so a bit driving, maybe. Fuzzy guitar music? I don’t know! It still goes under the category pop/rock, I’d say.

You moved to London from Sweden as an 18-year-old; does living in London influence the way you write music at all?

I don’t write about London as a city really, but the way it makes you feel sometimes—definitely. I spent a lot of time on my own here and I think it’s a place where you can easily disappear and become very lonely in.

Who are your musical influences?

Lately I’ve been rediscovering a lot of bands I was listening to as a teenager. Stuff like Laakso and Cardigans. I went to a classical music school and love classical music as well. I’ve got a pretty broad taste, I think the only stuff I don’t listen to is the stuff people think I’m listening to. I’m quite picky with songs, I don’t have music on in the background because I really wanna listen to the song. I think I listen to songs rather than sounds, if that makes sense?

What about when you were a kid? What was the first CD you ever bought?

ABBA Gold! Got if for my 6th birthday and I still listen to it.

Do you still buy CDs today?

No, I buy digital or vinyl. I haven’t got a CD player and mainly listen to music when I’m out walking or at home.

There's a lot of imagery about dreaming in your songs. Do you believe that dreams mean something in real life?

Dreams are very interesting. I think it’s a way for your mind to process things so I definitely think dreams mean something in real life. But daydreaming is also a form of dreaming and maybe that kind of dreaming tells you even more about who you are and what you want.

What was the last dream you had?

Last night I dreamt about being in an open field. It was very green but a bit cloudy and I was on my own. There were a few horses eating grass on the fields and I was looking for mine amongst them. I could see him from a distance but couldn’t get close to him.