The Doors’ Jim Morrison said it best in the 1967 song “Strange Days,” but just fast forward nearly six decades later… and the times are even stranger. No question one of the oddest periods in recorded history, among those sustaining collateral damage due to technology gone wild, has been the music. Often sounding glossed over, excessively produced, or even worse yet, digitally altered, it feels as if the human elements of the art form are being suffocated. A factor that can result in many of us feeling detached or disinterested in newer music being put out there these days, thankfully there are some artists that remind us that we still have a heartbeat, like Another Sky.
A band out of England, Another Sky’s journey began some time near a decade ago, however, they did not actually begin performing under the name until 2017. Comprised of a group of friends (Vocalist/Guitarist/Pianist Catrin Vincent, Guitarist Jack Gilbert, Drummer Max Doohan, and Bassist Naomi Le Dune) who were studying music at Goldsmiths, University of London, as Another Sky they have forged their own unique style. Best described as a mix of Progressive, Alternative, Punk, and Grunge Rock, there are also some elements of Electronic thrown in for extra measure.
Quite interesting, what really makes the band standout is their ability to compose songs that are intelligent, melodic, and chalked full of actual human emotion. Something they have showcased through several EPs, before putting out the stimulating 2020 debut album I Slept on the Floor, now in 2024 Another Sky takes yet another step forward with Beach Day.
The band’s second overall full-length album, and their first through Republic Records, Beach Day arrived on March 1st with thirteen dazzle tracks. Including six songs which were trickled out over the course of 2023, the seventh pre-album release, “I Never Had Control,” arrived just one day prior, oddly enough on Leap Day. Done by design or not, it speaks to the uniqueness of Another Sky and the music they create.
Drafting up songs that are at times subtle, but at others buzzing with distorted guitars, perhaps the most significant distinction in their sound is the voice of Catrin Vincent. A vocalist who has exceptional control of her breath, she stops you dead in your tracks the moment she starts to sing. With an ability to go high, low, as well as everywhere in between, her talents are raw, real, and exactly the kick in the ass we need in an age of rampage auto-tuning. In enough words, you can feel it in your chest when Vincent sings and this amplifies everything on an album like Beach Day, excluding the sincere lyrical context; which is honest, unfiltered, and relatable.
Truly a diamond in the rough, Another Sky effectively crafts music that are modern, yet also classic in the sense that they stay true to the original energy that Alternative Rock intended. Prime examples of such characteristics would have to include “The Pain,” “A Feeling,” “Burn The Way,” and “Psychopath.” Each possessing a vitality in the fabric of the melodies and how they are performed, there are also other tracks on the album with more ultra-fine moments to keep the balance right. Among these, you have “Death of the Author,” “I Caught On Fire,” and the mood building “Swirling Smoke.” However, of all these highlights outlined, arguably the most stunning to emerge off Beach Day is “I Never Had Control,” a song where Vincent paints images with her words as she dances all over the scale vocally, all while provoking deep emotion.
In the end, if you are familiar with Another Sky and their album I Slept on the Floor, you will be thoroughly satisfied with Beach Day. That in mind, if Another Sky is something fresh to your ears, Beach Day will awaken your senses and inspire you to take a trip back into their past to learn more. An album that never grows tiresome, but only becomes more compelling, Cryptic Rock gives Beach Day 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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