There is an unquantifiable feeling one gets when faced with a large body of water. The massive expanse mingles with our mortality, weaving a crashing love affair between the immediate and the ultimate. Ever taking what nature gives while never giving an inch to the demands of time and space. To have such freedom is nature’s indelible strength. Its mark is left on all who visit and breathe it’s unmistakable air that cleanses even the most weary of lungs.
It is in this freedom and wonder that the music of songwriter Joseph Sant operates. His music is both intentional and unhurried. Never burdensome, his songs wash over the listener with a gentle but demanding force. He is artist on top of his craft with his newest EP Sea White Salt. The four songs which comprise the album play out longer than the time and space that limits it, staying with you long after the final play.
Opener “Horse at the Beach” unfolds with ease under the delicate voice of Sant. If one was to put a soundtrack to the slower moments of life – ocean visits and late night dreams – this would be it. The truly gifted artists can work within their limits and confidently rely on their skill. Sant and his band do just this. Unrestrained and never rushed, the song builds to the musical equivalent of a crashing wave only to return to where it came.
“Nor’easter” plays with a relentless drum and hypnotic guitar with vocal accompaniment only when necessary. Think War on Drugs at the beach. This is a contemplative jam perfect for bringing out your innermost thoughts to the surface and facing them one by one.
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“Only The Shock” is made unforgettable with a lap steel guitar quiver and brief static in the background. This song is an easy going journey to the heart of something better. It plays well into the final song of the EP “Sea White Salt”. Sant’s voice is particularly haunting on this one. Thom Yorke might be a proper description on this one, and listeners will see a little Radiohead throughout the EP. The music is interesting and will challenge you with creative sounds and arrangements.
Great EP’s leave you angry in a sense. You want more songs that the artist provides. This is always a good sign. Apparently, even the ocean has its limits.
These four songs will haunt you in the most genuine of ways and are available on iTunes. We here at Ear to the Ground simply cannot recommend this EP enough.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCD2Bd8PYDE&w=560&h=315]
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