Joel Havea adds some much-needed flair to the acoustic soul/pop genre, one whose ease-of-access makes it routine to sift through a variety of artists to find quality. Havea’s talents are immediately noticeable on the enjoyable “Going Gone”, a track that begins with basic acoustic shuffles before a gentle rhythmic accompaniment eases the lead-in for Havea’s soulful voice. “I’m just so caught up in your world, cryin’ like a little girl,” he begins over the basic progression, before the feel-good chorus seizes the moment. “I ain’t hangin’ around to see it all go down,” he sings here, a clear affirmation of moving on from an overly-manipulative love interest. It’s relatable and immediately infectious, hitting two points of necessity for the acoustic soul/pop genre.
Havea is a German transplant originally from Australia. He’s currently supporting his new release, Strings & Wood EP, by touring in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Denmark. It features “Going Gone” and four other similarly-amiable efforts. Havea has been building a following since the 2012 release of his debut album You Make Me Believe. The new Strings & Wood EP expands his sound and results in his most engaging release yet, all with an arsenal of guitar, percussion, and double bass. The instrumentation choice was designed to mimic Havea’s intimate live performances, something the EP certainly succeeds in. Stream the Strings & Wood EP in its entirety below and purchase it on Bandcamp:
