The self-titled debut album from Sink to the Sea is abundant in memorable soundscapes, spanning from the spacey guitar reflections within “Confused” to the symphonic synth-laden beauty of opener “Circles & Semicircles.” The California-based project melds post-rock, ambient, and electronic sounds for a captivating display of sonic exploration, one that embraces improvisation and an overall sense of spontaneity. The band cite “horror movie soundtracks, Frippertronics, free jazz, electronica, and psychedelia,” as among the release’s inspirations, producing a sound that prompts heady introspection.
A range of sounds, from immediately foreboding to tranquilly pensive, engross throughout. “Train” plays with delectably unsettling qualities, sounding at home in the cavernous underground as free-flowing rhythmic elements complement creepy, industrial buzzing and effects. Jazzy percussion and a string-laden embrace form a beautifully eerie conclusion. In the other spectrum, “Confused” compels with its lush array of trickling guitar jangles and caressing bass, playing like a lulling spell rather than “Train,” which feels fit for a horror film chase scene.
The album is ambitious, with over an hour-and-a-half of runtime, yet there’s a consistently gripping quality throughout. 14-minute epic “All the Colors of the Dark” drives from glistening, gorgeous guitar tones into a grandiose prog-rock conclusion, succeeding in its entirety. A strong one-two punch to close the album, “Missing Doll” appeals with its spaciously nocturnal guitar crawls, while “Sensing the World by Echo” concludes this stellar release with 15+ minutes of lingering guitar tones, climactic percussion, and a satiating textural swell. Sink to the Sea provides an enthralling listening experience.
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“Missing Doll” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
