I’ve been listening to Aqua Alta‘s debut LP Dreamsphere nonstop for a couple weeks now, and it’s finally time for you to get it for yourself – it’s out today via Star House Collective in Canada! As you know from our review of the debut/teaser EP released in 2013, we’re big fans of AA (and basically anything Jenn Grant does, let’s be honest), and this album has felt like it was a long time coming but it was 100% worth the wait.
First, if you don’t already know who Aqua Alta is, it’s important that you do – it’s a dream team made up of Jenn Grant, Charles Austin (Superfriendz), and Graeme Campbell (Buck 65). Charles and Graeme write and record the music, and Jenn swoops in with lyrics and melodies – and the result is pure magic.
The album opens with a delicate, anticipatory electric guitar situation and some smooth, angelbird-like “oooo”s from Grant on BTOcean, building into a bigger, synth-y sound. No matter how many times I listen to the album, this song grips me every time. It’s a strong opener that serves only to set you up for the beauty to come.
From here we jump into the original EP, which consists of Polar, Blue Is the Rain, and Epic Sweep. I won’t spend time on these tracks here because we’ve already reviewed them at length; suffice it to say the tracks still hold up and fit nicely in the overall collection here.
Next is Awaken Waiting, one of my personal favorites. It’s a short track, at just 2:24, and somehow manages to be full and exciting yet also fairly simple and lyrically sparse. Jenn’s echo-y, ethereal vocals are float-y and beautiful here.
Coral Castle has a nice moodiness to it that translates into a sort of hopefulness at times, almost contradicting itself but always making sense, and Sparse is just what it purports to be (and beautifully so). Norwegian Jewel and Silvery Tones somehow feel like quintessential Jenn Grant songs, though neither could be directly compared or tied to anything else she’s released before. There’s a kind of essence to Jenn’s music, somehow. It’s there even when you can’t explain what it is, and it’s instantly recognizable.
The album’s closer, You Were A Kid Too, is possibly my very favorite from the album and one I can instantly picture being performed live – I’m hoping against hope that I’ll get to hear it live this week on the band’s LP release tour. It’s upbeat and fun with some electric guitar and other instrumentation that contrasts nicely with Jenn’s voice. This is a fun one and a great way to finish off the album.
Listen, though, don’t take my word for it. The album’s out now, so head over and get it for yourself! And if you’re in Toronto, Ottawa, Charlottetown, or Halifax, don’t miss the ‘Dreamsphere’ LP release tour this week!
Follow Aqua Alta on Facebook and Twitter, and buy their debut LP here.
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