Release date: 14th June 2023
I knew this album was special as soon as I heard it for the first time. The music immediately got under my skin and I absolutely loved the emotion to it; both in the vocals and the musical performance. I’d been eagerly anticipating a full length release after enjoying the three songs the band had shared prior to Breakwater‘s release, and needless to say it was very worth the wait – even though it has wound up taking me a hell of a long time to actually write about said album!
My absolute favourite thing about Breakwater is the fact that there’s riffs for days. I love the wide variety of styles and moods they use; there’s funky and groovy parts, there’s melancholic moments, and of course the black grungey elements that makes Rootbrain sound the way they do. The way it all comes together is absolutely masterful, with the varying styles coming together to form one very cohesive and unique sound, to really help Rootbrain stand apart from the crowd.
Somewhat ironically, even after hearing all ten tracks of the album, my favourite of the bunch is still Floating Feathers, which is the very first Rootbrain song I heard. Whilst I adore all ten tracks on Breakwater, there’s something about this one that really elevates it above the others. I love the musical journey the song takes; the melodies really get stuck in your head and I adore the passionately emotive delivery of both the instrumentation and vocals. If you only decide to check out one song from this album, make sure it’s this one.
Breakwater is definitely one of the best releases of 2023. To put things simply, it’s an impressive piece of art – and I for one am already eager to see how these songs translate into a live environment.
