KIN TALA – Coast (2022)
The saying that ignorance is bliss is often true as the troubles of the world are ignored in favour of the good. With their single ‘Coast’, KIN TALA offers an insight into the blissful ignorance many find themselves in. While seeming to be an ode to coasting through life, ignorant of the problems, the single is also a call to pay attention to the issues of the world and have an open discussion about them.
Upbeat, yet stark in its messaging, the single is truly a song for our time, considering the economic, social and ecological problems our world is facing. Dom Rogers (vocals, guitar) and Shee Juma (guitar, keys, bass) are the duo behind the insight. After meeting in college, they became best friends and started to turn some indie rock songs Rogers had written into workable tracks.
‘Coast’ slowly builds into the opening with a dreamy tone that rises from the silence. There is a yawning feeling to the music as it reaches out to you and beckons you into the beats that form. It is an interesting sound that pulls you in with ambient tones, only to toss you into the shuffling beats and ever so tender keys. Through the music, you are called into a floating space that makes coasting down the soundscape so easy. From the depths, a twanging tone rises as the darkness of the world pushes against the lightness of the floating soundscape. It is a wonderful sonic representation of ignorance and the push of reality against this.
Rogers’ vocals have a chanting feeling as they enter and mingle with the melodic lines. The vocals are intriguing as they lull you further into the floating space of the melody, while trying to draw you out and bring the issues of the world to your attention. This is done with some poetic lyrics that use the coast as a focal point. The upbeat and light tones of the melody are a little at odds with the stark wake-up call woven into the vocals. While this is stark, it has been subtly handled so you don’t realise it has sunk in until it is too late.
KIN TALA attempt to break through the ignorance that many people find themselves in and open a discussion on the problems of the world in ‘Coast’. The melody is upbeat and light as it has you floating through the soundscape. The vocals bring a stark message that is subtly woven into the poetic coastal lyrics.
Find out more about KIN TALA on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
