ATP! Album Review: Seahaven - Reverie Lagoon: Music For Escapism Only

Expectation can have a funny influence on opinion. If the next Escape the Fate record turns out to have one half-listenable track on it, we’ll all be "pleasantly surprised," but if, say, the next Brand New album doesn’t live up to its inevitable hype, it’ll be "disappointing". Extreme examples, maybe, but my point is this: leave your expectations of Seahaven at the door, Reverie Lagoon: Music For Escapism Only is different to everything they’ve put out before.

Where Ghost trod the floorboards between emo and hardcore and Winter Forever moved in the latter direction, Reverie Lagoon is a different beast. The majority of material here is seriously laid-back. The music reflects it’s title perfectly; it’s dreamy, late-evening music, and it’s beautiful. That is not to say the whole album washes over you in one samey wave. ’Flesh’ is melodically reminiscent of Daytrader and the heaviest track on the record, with a real grungey attitude in its delivery. It is followed by ‘Love to Burn,’ an introspective slow-burner wrapped around Soto’s personal central lyric: “You don’t need me, we’ll make believe like you, do but you don’t / I’ll be sour, you be sweet, it’s nothing new / What are you still doing here?”

Even more impressive is ‘Solar Eclipse,’ a plaintive piano ballad that marks the tonal departure that Seahaven have made more clearly than any other track. On the whole, the band sound a lot more at-ease with themselves, demonstrated most clearly in Kyle Soto’s voice. He’s relaxed, almost slurring his words together in places, and it fits perfectly with the overall breezy feel of the record.

Reverie Lagoon sees Seahaven move a step further away from their peers, reminding more of First Days of Spring-era Noah and the Whale than anything else on the Run for Cover roster. With their clean guitars and laid-back melodies, the band have channeled the sleepy rolling of the tide into 14 peaceful, beautiful tracks. Close your eyes and float with it: music for escapism only.

4/5

James Tremain

Reverie Lagoon: Music for Escapism Only is out now via Run For Cover Records.