Straats - “About You”

Photo by ifeadenuga_and Jacob Lea

Toronto and Guelph-based trio Straats have just delivered the raw and deliciously stripped-back sounds of “About You.”

This is the kind of song that immediately aligns with our folksy preferences, with a softly strummed acoustic guitar atop some nature foley. But where it completely wins our hearts and minds is with the wonderful and talented vocal performance of Annie Martin. Her voice is exquisitely doubled throughout the track’s duration, conjuring the spirits of artists such as Tomberlin and boygenius.

And although the first half of “About You” is delicate and sparse, primarily consisting of just the guitar and vocal, the true enchantment begins just after the song’s midpoint. Some deep bass starts to resonate throughout the underbelly of the arrangement, while some angelic, three-part harmonies rise and flow dreamily across the soundscape. Digital percussion elements sporadically pan from left to right, creating a glorious sense of cinematic space.

“About You” is precisely the kind of sound in which we often choose to lose ourselves as we embark on some pensive soul searching. And its brief runtime makes it perfectly compact to take anywhere in which you might find yourself needing a quick dose of introspection. We’ve also found that it pairs nicely with Straats’ previous release, “Bush,” which fills listeners with a robust rhythm section and vocals that are quite reminiscent of The Beatles.

Overall, you simply cannot go wrong with getting some Straats into your ears. So fill your cup with their sound and raise it to the hopeful unveiling of a future album.

-HD