Exposure to Pale Seas and double A-side ‘Bodies/My Own Mind’ happened sometime last year when it came upon the work playlist. It was a “who is this!?” followed swiftly by an “I'm nicking that!” That personal composition has since fallen through but Pale Seas have marched proudly on having recently been featured in the Guardian and BBC Introducing.
It was easy to fall in love with Pale Seas’ dreamy, reverb-heavy style. It is not necessarily pushing boundaries or doing anything new but it has its appeal. It is uncomplicated melancholy, almost other worldly and at the centre, emotive evocation.
The set kicked into gear three songs in with their stand-out tracks including new entry Wicked Dreams, which demonstrated a percussive urgency and catchy vocal hook. Unfortunately, My Own Mind was performed a little too fast and lacked the subtlety of the recorded version. However, that could be put down to adrenaline and what have you. Acoustical beast Bodies received the biggest cheer and deservedly so. It is unquestionably their best work to date and a personal favourite.
At this level, it is still surprising how sometimes the sound can fluctuate between good or bad and this show was no exception. I'm sure all it takes is a tweak to the mix to let the vocals punch through the wall of sound of guitars and bass, especially, in the case of a style such as Pale Seas, where the vocals and melody are the focal point.
Places to Haunt solidifies Pale Seas’ style in reverb-drenched guitars and uncomplicated percussion brought together by Jacob Scott’s yearning vocals. At the same time, there is steady evolution in their song writing as their confidence continues to grow. Definitely keeping an eye out on this one and more tunes please!
