sam sea - “up north”

If you’re looking for some lo-fi and intimate folk music, look no further than sam sea and her most recent release: “up north.”

Like many artists, sam sea penned some music during the pandemic, and she’s recently revisited the original recordings in order to add additional layers. The resulting sound is exquisitely profound and we are delighted to share it with you here. “up north” begins with sam sea’s soft and delicate vocal, emotionally delivering lines across the top of a lone acoustic guitar. It’s the kind of song that is so stripped-back that it almost seems as though you are eavesdropping on a private performance.

The second verse allows a lovely harmony to join the arrangement, as well as some very subtle percussive elements that provide just the right amount of forward momentum to the poignant atmosphere. From here, “up north” provides ample proof that one does not need much in order to saturate an entire soundscape. The layers of vocals remarkably expand the production in all directions, and we present this song in hopes that other artists will hear it and follow suit.

In addition to “up north,” sam sea has also released the more uplifting sounds of “steering wheel.” It, too, resides within the stripped-back realm of emotional folk music, though it is a bit more hopeful than the first, as evidenced through its more dynamic melody. And while “up north” relied a bit more heavily upon additional vocal layers, “steering wheel” experiments with a sort-of deep-sea ambience that fits perfectly with the track’s subject matter. We must insist that you listen to both of these tunes asap.

-HD