As any musician will know, it is extremely difficult to express what your art form is truly capable of achieving in only a number of songs, and yet that is exactly what Sam Jordan & The Dead Buoys have flawlessly achieved. The Brighton-based dancer-turned-singer, has teamed up with his fellow band to grace fans with their newest release, Thoughts From Paradise, a four tracked, short yet sweet release with enough punch to transport listeners through a kaleidoscope of feelings and thought.

Despite the rather optimistic title, the EP dominantly portrays a far more melancholy feel, influences such as the late Leonard Cohen are immediately apparent, and in light of recent circumstances, the likeness will hold an incredible sense of sentiment for many.

The opening and newly released single to the EP, ’My Nirvana’, holds an instant cinematic tone tied with close bonds to more traditional western folk. The occasional lone streak of a guitar accompanied by undertones of tambourines pierce the track, only furthering the Clint Eastwood vibes. Sam’s tones sustain a unique sense of harshness and a delightfully enticing feel to them. As inferred by most of the track titles, religious themes are present through the EP, however when the lyrics are spoken, they instead paint a far more nihilistic picture of open deserts and the bleakness of nothingness that is both horrifying and disturbingly soothing.

The variation of each track on the EP is certainly noteworthy, and gives a deeper look into the different feelings Sam’s music inflicts. Whilst each number does generate a completely different listening experience from its predecessor, they all work incredibly cohesively to generate a smooth listen from start to finish, bouncing off themes of both the dismal and flamboyant.

Penultimate track, ‘I’ve Never Seen Her Fall’ for example, contains the similar dark undertones mentioned, yet intertwines them with a far more ambient instrumentation that borders on the etherial; acoustic undertones work alongside the screech of electric guitar to the point where they walk a thin line between genius and bizarre. This minimalistic attitude behind the number suits Sam’s voice divinely and the final lyric: “You’re the best thing I ever didn’t need,” holds a particular weight that pulls at the heart strings and leaves you eager for more.

‘Favourite Messenger’ is perhaps the most unique of the songs on the record, and arguably the pinnacle of the entire release. A five-and-a-half minute number, the first two are a tranquil yet darkened spoken word poem which becomes progressively intertwined with overpowering instrumentation. The mumbled lyrics concerning lucid dreaming and uncomfortable experiences are mirrored by a simplistic psychedelic feel to the guitars. The track soon transitions into a far more high pitched vocal pattern with no more than an acoustic guitar for company, before abruptly erupting into a choir of harmony, which is somewhat reminiscent of the likes of other heavily inspired religious bands such as Dry The River. The song’s contrasting sections leave the listener feeling as though they have just endured an entire journey, in theory, it feels as though this number shouldn't work, yet it simply does. Brilliantly.

With the recent death of Cohen, a vast gap in the alt-folk scene has been left for many, whilst Sam Jordan & The Dead Buoys will not completely fill that hole, nor do they aim to, their music does offer a start, and has filled some form of void for myself. Thoughts Of Paradise has done these Brighton boys justice, the release holds undoubted potential to unlock more than a few doors for the band in the not so far future. Despite the face that four tracks may seem somewhat on the short side, each song exudes a refreshing take on the genre, which when fused together, form one cracker of an EP that both new listeners and old can greatly enjoy throughout. I look forward to hearing future full length releases and hearing big things from Sam Jordan & The Dead Buoys in the near future.
Ben Walker

Website: officialsamjordan.com
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Twitter: twitter.com/TheDeadBuoys