Dance To The Radio – none
Far Caspian’s debut EP is ready to whisk listeners into the clouds:
Awash with hazy guitars and faraway vocals, the plaintive and dreamy
Between Days (November 19, 2018 via Dance to the Radio) marries
nostalgia and disconnect in a stirring display of vulnerability. In
evoking the emotional magnitude of solitude, loneliness and wandering,
the Leeds-based band have created a thing of striking resonance and
beauty.
Formed this January, Far Caspian are very much the new kids on the
block, to say the least. The four-piece consists of frontman and
guitarist Joel Johnston, Jof Cabedo (drums and vocals), Alessio Scozarro
(bass and vocals), and Nath Sayers (guitar). Though their story is just
beginning, they’ve managed to make quite an entrance – earning early
acclaim from critics on both sides of the pond as they splashed onto the
music scene with melancholy tones and poetic lyrics.
If dwelling in your own dark, ruminative space is the current trend,
then Far Caspian are a shoe-in for this season’s “it” band. Joel
Johnston’s heart-heavy lyrics depict the natural turbulence of a life in
transition: From the artist’s move from Ireland to the UK, to matters
of love, purpose, and well-being, Far Caspian embed themselves in the
throes of change.
And yet, almost in spite of itself, Between Days appeals to a wide
swathe of listeners and situations. “I think we’ve ended up with a batch
of songs that all have their own character,” Johnston, who also
produced the EP, shared via press release. “Listen to this when you’re
feeling low, when you’re late-night driving on a road trip, when you’re
getting ready for a date or just with a friend.”
EP opener and title track “Between Days” sets the scene with its
propellant beat and intoxicating sonic haze, immersing listeners in a
rich, mellow slumber. The rhythms intensify on “Blue,” as Johnston
somberly sings of acceptance and moving on. “The Place,” rich with
catchy harmonies and a drowsily fun chorus, showcases the band’s ability
to build up to big crescendos.
Penultimate song “Let’s Go Outside” is Far Caspian’s most successful
release to date, putting their full character on display through
wondrous melodies that fill the space with fresh hope and warmth – even
if the lyrics themselves focus on homesick themes.
Concluding with “Finding My Way Home,” Far Caspian bring us down from
the clouds in style: Dynamic highs clash with subtle lows as the band
evoke a sense of the “new” and “unknown.” For the first time, we feel
some excitement float into the mix – and with that sense of renewal and
looking up, Between Days ends.