Salad – Things In Heaven (Three Bean Records)
After musically laying low through lockdown Salad have made a grand return with the atmospheric Things From Heaven ahead of rescheduled dates this autumn.
Artist: Salad
Release: Things In Heaven
Label: Three Bean Records
Released: 6 August 2021
Find it: Bandcamp
Pebbles clatter over pebbles, the water rushing between them, persistent movement wearing them down in ways we can’t know. Beyond the breaking of the waves there is something waiting, a curling tendril of instinctive anticipation taking hold of your insides as the melody climbs, and climbs some more. You are held here on this beach as slowly, draped in shadow and surf, the siren crawls toward you.
Like many other artists Salad took somewhat of a hiatus when lockdowns hit. Planned live dates were put on hold, life elbowed art out of the way. They’re making a tentative return now, with an autumn tour, and the gloriously sinister and melodramatic single Things In Heaven.
The video here by Nic Tuft (who also made videos for tracks Details and The Selfishness of Love with the band) gives us a visual treat to go with the ringing doom of the single, where with semi-operatic enunciation the tale of a siren persuading a loved one there is still beauty in this broken world is told.
Crashing waves of drama run through this song, with runs of rhythm, bright keys, and echoing backing vocals echo the main line. There is as much theatre, and sinister atmospherics, here as there is dark pop, the surf of the video a line between known and unknown, the dual vocals the coaxer and coaxed. Throughout the track she emerges, casting off the pull of the sea and the unsteadiness of land to stand victorious and beautiful, raising the song to a crescendo as her hands are thrown to the moody sky.
“All the things in heaven / Are right here on this earth / If you look hard enough”
For many Salad will still be locked to the britpop period (and what an underrated output they had in those times) but exploring their more recent output brings you some really fabulous grandiose pop, some truly heavy riffs, and brilliantly playful melodies. Things In Heaven gives us another great example to sink into, and paired with this stunning short film of a video Salad move deeper into a fascinating and creative art pop territory.
Things In Heaven from Salad is out digitally now via their website and Bandcamp. They have rescheduled tour dates around the UK in September and October – check their website for dates, venues, and ticket information.
Find Salad: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Bandcamp
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Sarah Lay
A long-standing music journalist she's also co-founder of independent record label Reckless Yes, an author of novels, and when not messing around with words and music, a digital strategist.
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