My friend has been searching for the title/author behind this alternative-rock song since 2001/2 (with an audio approximation of the rhythm and vocal melody) - Reposting this since nobody's been able to identify it

Approximation of the rhythm and original vocal melody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM7EjwtfBqc

A new cover with vocals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rITUamk9ll4

My friend had originally heard this song in 2002 on independent radio in Northwest Italy.

The style of the music was alternative/indie rock (distorted guitars) with electronic drumming, 4/4 with dance accents.

He had even recorded the song on a cassette straight from the radio but the tape broke, hence the obsession. The station had been contacted years later but all effort(s) in finding the song proved fruitless; they've lost their archives for that year.

The vocals and overall feeling of the song were somewhat in between Ash and the Radio Dept. Other similar-sounding bands can be Elliott (American emo), M83, Grandaddy, and Last Days of April. The song really sounded like the early 2000s, with an emotional airy crescendo and major chords.

The song was melancholic and uplifting at the same time. Major chords were dominant, but in a mellow way, in a feeling similar to most emocore or shoegaze.

The lyrics, since he is not a native speaker, and at the time was 17, sounded to him like:

who we are?

trying this again, trying this...

this could have a look.

It's a nonsense approximation but the refrain sounded a lot like that, with the vocal melody of the video.

Ruled-out bands and artists: https://angelhood.netlify.app/

Who cares man!

If you did this to try and find out a song name just keep going and make your own song.

I hear an album in here and clearly you are a knowledgeable and practiced musician.

Wish I could be more help.