Flatfoot Sam – Boathouse (2022)
If you need to take some time out from the rush of the world, Flatfoot Sam has the soundtrack for your relaxation in ‘Boathouse’. This track, which sonically sits between trip-hop and Leftfield, offers a feel-good vibe woven into some experimental tones. With an interesting sound that has you forgetting about the rest of the world for a little while, you will be riding the high offered by the music for a while after it ends.
Following on from his debut album release last year, Flatfoot Sam brings some old-school tones to a contemporary feeling, while tapping into a sound that is wonderfully unique. While he has been making and releasing music since the late 90s, this new musical project only came to life in 2020. Since then, he and his computer have been blurring some electronic lines and bringing a certain area of Cornwall to life through music.
‘Boathouse’ grabs your attention with a pulse of sound that drops into a rich ambient tone. The ambient sounds weave through the middle layers of the melody while a shivering beat flies below. This beat gives way to a deeper electronic tone that vibrates through your chest. There is a dynamic movement to the melody that keeps you guessing, while utterly hooked to the sound. You can hear the fusion of different tones and sounds as you are driven down the soundscape. As the single progresses, there is an exploratory feeling to the music, like you are out walking through open fields without really knowing where you are going. The melody is a testament to Sam’s musical abilities as the experimental tones meet more melodic flows. The contrast with the vocals is amazing as you are hit with an interplay of electronic tones and richer, almost gothic, vocals.
The vocals first enter like an ominous gothic choir calling out against the electronic melody. This brings a new type of richness to the soundscape, with the more organic vibes of the vocals. Rising from the depths of the melody is an ethereal operatic vocal performance that is an absolute pleasure to listen to. The gothic touches of the choral lines is picked up by this angelic vocal line, only to turn into something richer and deeper. There is a lot going on in the vocal performance, with the different lines flowing into each other and taking you on a fantastic journey. Later in the track, a new vocal line enters, taking everything in a new direction. This is easily a single that you can listen to again and again only to get as lost as the first time you heard it.
The rich experimental tones of ‘Boathouse’ by Flatfoot Sam draw you into the exploration of sound and the contrasts of varied vocals, while retaining a beautiful melodic flow. The melody is packed with electronic layers that fuse different tones and sounds into the unique arrangement of the track. The vocals move from gothic choirs to ethereal vocals and earthy pulls for an extremely engaging listening experience.
Find out more about Flatfoot Sam on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
