Red Sea thwarts expectation with ‘In The Salon’
New EP ups the ante for Red Sea’s labyrinthine rock.
The members of Red Sea have stepped up their game considerably since they uploaded Yardsticks for Human Intelligence to Bandcamp earlier this year. In the Salon, released Sept. 8 with little fanfare, is the most solid collection of music the group has put together yet in terms of the song composition, and the quality of the recordings themselves. The production is rich and detailed, which is especially important considering how meticulously the songs have been crafted. Opener “Life Image Module” combines jazzy chords and complex polyrhythms into a sort of relaxing chaos, while “Chance Arrest” channels the swinging moods of the band’s past works. The addition of prominent synthesizer parts, featured in several songs and highlighted on two brief instrumental tracks, adds a textural element to the mix. “On the Marble,” a labyrinthine ballad composed of constantly shifting rhythms and vocal melodies, is perhaps the most engaging song on the album; it pairs Red Sea’s ornate instrumentation with emotional directness. In the Salon explores the collision points of precision and play, intellect and emotion, the social and the ineffable.