A captivating dive into oceanic soundscapes and languid songwriting.

LA Priest’s Fase Luna feels like the ocean. After ditching the electronics in a departure from his last album GENE, Fase Luna is all about the guitars, inspiring a wavy experimental pop feel to craft a soundtrack to a balmy summer. Recorded in Mexico and the rainforests of Costa Rica, the new record by Sam Eastgate aka LA Priest makes a show of his musical prowess.

Fase Luna opens with ‘On’, defined by its distorted guitars and gentle simmering percussion that kicks in after a nearly two-minute long intro that sets an atmospheric scene. The beachy influences already shine through, and a smoothly satisfying transition into the funky riffs of ‘Silent’ lets us know we’re in for a treat.

At the time of writing, ‘It’s You’ is the record’s most streamed song, having been released as the project’s lead single. It’s characteristically groovy, with percussion that sounds like someone knocking coconuts together. Eastgate’s unique voice croons “late at night I can hear your voice in the ocean” making for the perfect tropical love song. Then, an instrumental interval presents itself on ‘Misty’, with its dreamlike soundscape keeping the guitars as the star of the show until a frantic drumbeat adds a more surf rock feel.

About the next track ‘Star’, Eastgate said in a press release: “I walked on the streets at sunset and at night with a dog that I found there and made up this song”. This whimsical origin can be felt through the music, where soft twangs of woozy guitar help the singer recount a mythological tale of what it’s like to be a ghost.

‘Sail On’ at first reminds me of ‘Psylla’ by Glass Animals until the peppy guitar kicks in, adding that familiar coastal rhythm. Eastgate peppers in Spanish lyrics which adds to the immersive storytelling and helps the listener to visualise his recording experience in South America. The midway point of the song introduces a bouncing instrumental section before easing back into mellow, and it does feel like we’re sailing on the unpredictable waters of Eastgate’s music making.

Now, at the tail end of the album, ‘Neon’ comes through with its shimmering riffs, a guitar-led track with atmospheric vocal interjections. ‘Ocean’ however feels altogether quite different to the rest of the record; sensual and sonically reminiscent of ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ by Arctic Monkeys. Closer track ‘No More’ (aptly named) is mystical and harmonious, taking a step back on the vocals once more to let the music do its thing. It reaffirms Eastgate's talent - Fase Luna is a gorgeous exploration of oceanic soundscapes and languid songwriting.