Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Brother Sea – September (2020)

Brother Sea is taking listeners to Cornwall with their single ‘September’. Inspired by the restorative caress of the month, the single looks at the warmth of the air, the thinning of holiday crowds and the reconnection with the land. Through the wonder and affection of the single, you are transported to the coast with the waves lapping at your feet and the first hint of autumn nipping at your nose.

This stroll into Cornwall is brought to life by Kris Lannen (vocals, guitar), David Harbottle (vocals, cittern, banjo), Freya Harbottle (vocals, concertina, harmonium), Richard Tretheway (vocals, fiddle), Annie Baylis (vocals, fiddle), Henry Cavender (drums) and Calum Ingram (cello). Their diverse sounds combine for the Celtic-folk soundscape of the band. Creating a sense of awe and intrigue, their music will have you flickering along their soundscape.



‘September’ sets the autumnal tones with a gentle guitar line and haunting strings. The melody has a wonderful traditional folk feeling that dances across your senses. The chorus picks up for a more Celtic vibe, but this is feather-light like the spray of the sea on your skin. You can almost taste the salt on the air and see the waves of the ocean lapping against the shore. There is also a freeing vibe to the melody that helps you connect with the healing of the world when the tourist season ends and everyone can breathe deeply again.

The vocals continue the light traditional folk vibes as they lay out the feeling of September. There is a very relaxed feeling to the vocals that make you want to sit back and stare at the ocean. The harmonisations add a depth to the vocals while sending you soaring into the warm air. The melodic flow of the vocals later in the track fill you with a light energy that just puts you at ease.



If you are not filled with coastal vibes through the music, the accompanying video will do the trip. The video takes you into a surfboard workshop where a board is being made. Throughout the video, you see the progress while the lyrics of the track fade in and out. Images of the Cornwall coast come in and out of focus before you hit the waves in the latter part of the video. There is a wonderfully freeing vibe to the music video.

Brother Sea transports you to the Cornwall coast for the restorative powers of ‘September’ spent by the sea. Through a freeing Celtic-folk soundscape, they send you soaring over the beaches and water. The vocals will you with a light energy while the melody sinks into your heart for a restorative listening experience.

Find out more about Brother Sea on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.