Joseph Sant
Sea White Salt
(self-released)

Joseph Sant’s airy, high, warble-of-a-vocal sails over an upfront snare and wiggly electric guitar sweeps on the opener, “Horse at the Beach,” on his new EP, Sea White Salt. The title track is the second song here and has kind of the same vibe as the first (atmosphere from Stirling Krusing’s lap steel) and that upfront snare from Tyler Graham. This track however mines the dreaminess even more as it is slower and employs whistling even (it sounds like there’s a harmonica in their as well) and an even higher vocal from Sant. The beat is more evident and things are plucky running forward on “Nor’easter.” Though we get breathy Sant vocals again, the single-note guitar from Gabriel Galvin here cuts through and is very effective. Bassist Graham is even allowed nice, subtle moments as he is distinctly heard in the mix about a third of the way in. Last tune, “Only the Shock” has some flanky, strummed acoustic with Sant’s vocals and the drums mixed in the background under Krusing’s lap steel. I like the effect, though I am not sure burying a vocal as soft as Sant’s is a good idea as it renders the lyrics nearly unintelligible. Seattle-born and now Brooklyn-based Joseph Sant presents a neat mix of a small band of players behind bubbling forth his dream pop. And though yes, these four tend towards the same wavery sounds, the tunes are layered well and Sant mines a distinctive enough tread.