Summer Salt’s New Singles Will Get Your Summer Sailing

After months of cold air and rainy sidewalks, it is time to get the summer started with beach days and salty hair. Summer Salt, an indie/alternative “trop-pop” band from Austin, Texas, has released three singles from their new 12 track record “Campanita”, which is set to come out on May 19th. Each newly released track (“Carry On”, “Supermoon”, and “Campanita”) carry a similar upbeat and beachy vibe that flows perfectly into the summer season. 

Even while being miles apart (lead singer/guitarist, Mathew Terry in Dallas and keyboardist/drummer/guitarist, Eugene Chung in San Francisco), the duo was able to collaborate effectively in order to produce some of their most exciting and emotional music yet. 

According to the band, the album name “Campanita” comes from a nickname Terry’s grandmother gave to his late sister. The album is dedicated to her, as well as a cousin of his who passed away in 2021, in celebration of their lives. Making this record has allowed Terry to feel connected to his beloved relatives, giving them a piece of art where their lives can live on forever. The music was a strong component in helping him cope with his grief.

The duo creates their music using a variety of instruments that bring their sound alive. When listening, you may hear inspiration from the classic 60s rock band, the Beach Boys, with their unique harmonies and mixture of rock, jazz, and psychedelic sounds. Terry and Chung’s voices overtop the unique synth sounds and overlapped guitar parts create a dreamy and blissful effect that teleports you into a world of warmth, like the sun is hitting your face perfectly. 

“Carry On” jumps quickly in with a happy sound, yet the lyrics tell another story. The song is a response of Terry’s grief for his sister and cousin, which is conveyed powerfully through the words he sings. The chorus states, “I've been meaning to tell you/That I love you and we'll be alright/So get home and see me/And I'll be living letting go to feel from time to time.” The way in which the band conveys the sounds of love and joy with the implemented bits of pain and heartbreak is truly unique. Terry’s raw voice overtop the sweet and bright sound of the drums that sit in the background create a feeling of human connection with the singer.

The beginning of “Supermoon” feels like a beach breeze is passing you by almost instantaneously. The song brings along summer memories with the lyrics. “Gardens of sea life with pеonies/The fair rides at night look likе tourmaline/And lemonade stands on a corner by your side/Gas works on a hillside in faded jeans,” they sing. The band said they drew inspiration for this song from music from the 40s and 50s, creating a jazz pop sound that is bright and airy.

The album's title track “Campanita” is a song about finding your lost loved ones in the things you see in your everyday life. Terry sings, “My best friend/Lives somewhere out there in the cool wind/Neither far or near/And I love the way it hurts when she calls me/And though I know she’s here/It’s not that easy.” While the song speaks of deep emotion and painful times, that is juxtaposed with the upbeat drums and sparkly sound. You can hear the love and joy that Terry shares for his sister, making a sound that encapsulates her energy and their strong relationship that still is and always will be shared between the two of them. There is a youthfulness that holds this track together. Each beat feels lively, like they are floating through the air.

These three singles bring out the beauty of loved ones and the energy that comes from those never forgotten relationships. Even through the grief that was told by the masterful lyricism, Summer Salt displays sounds of the joy and gratitude of life. These songs do a wonderful job at mixing pain with love and mourning with gratitude. 

There aren’t a lot of bands out there right now that sound like Summer Salt. Their use of mixed genres and layered instruments draws from so many era’s of music, giving the listeners something new and exciting to hear. They are a truly unique blend of the past and the present, feeling like a warm hug from an old friend on a gorgeous blue skied summer day.