Music
Sarantos Is Heartbreaking On “Looking Up At The World”
Singer-songwriter Sarantos is back with a brand new single. Unlike the artist’s usual laid-back fare, Sarantos’ latest endeavor is a heartbreaking and raw outburst of emotion regarding the artist’s battle with chronic pain and COVID-19. Serious topics like this demand attention and sympathy, so today we’ll be giving “Looking Up At The World,” a closer look in our full review.
Considering how it’s a more melancholic-leaning Sarantos song, “Looking Up At The World,” opens with surprisingly warm and inviting instrumentals. As the song continues, the folds of the artist’s acoustic ballad unveil themselves, allowing the song to breathe and grow organically. Instrumentally, it’s an interesting tune, as electric guitars and light synths kick in providing some much needed atmosphere.
Slow build up is the name of the game with “Looking Up At The World,” as emotions slowly rise and the lyrics grow into soaring statements of sadness. There’s a lot of pathos in Sarantos’ performance here, which is understandable. Every feeling in the song comes through, making it easy to sympathize with the artist on his plights.
What truly carries the single however is the raw songwriting on display here. All subtlety is thrown out of the window here, as Sarantos’ wails about how upsetting it is. Feelings of being boxed in, helpless and unable to do anything come through loud and clear. Despite all his hard work, he finds that he can’t even stand up without getting exhausted, and it frustrates him to no end.
These raw emotional outbursts are what make “Looking Up At The World,” as effective as it is. For people in similar circumstances, these plights are sure to be relatable and understandable.
Sarantos’ talent as a singer-songwriter shines through with “Looking Up At The World,” a testament to the artist’s skill. He’s been working at this for a long time now, and he’s only improved with time. As he vents his sadness and frustrations to the world, it’s hard to not to feel for him and the way the world has treated him.
Despite all this, we hope the artist pushes through and manages to keep making his craft. “Looking Up At The World,” is an excellent single showcasing Sarantos’ efforts to the fullest, and we can’t wait to see what else he has in store for the future.
–Jason Airy
Artist Spotlight
Steven Luke explores love, loss, and the cost of connection on “Seasons (to be human)”
Life is rarely linear, and Steven Luke’s new release, “Seasons (to be human),” accepts that with the reflective weight of an atmospheric alternative rock ballad. The song is built on organic, unfiltered musicianship and a dramatic live cello performance. It examines the highs and lows that make us human.
“Seasons (to be human)” meditates on love, loss, connection, and the emotional toll of moving through life. The poetic writing uses images of snow and cold to describe times when it’s hard to understand another person or even yourself. It’s a sweet take on the song because connection can be very meaningful, but it can also have its own challenges.
It’s the kind of production that’s cinematic but stays in the grand tradition of classic rock balladry. The live cello adds a big, expressive feel to the arrangement, bringing emotional weight while keeping the song’s organic feel. The song creates an emotional space through its sweeping motion, so it feels intimate in subject matter but still reaches for something bigger.
Steven Luke’s vocals suit the song’s style, carrying the themes’ emotional energy without overwhelming them. “Seasons (to be human)“ is a portrait of life in motion, of its warmth and its colder stretches, and all that happens in between. Steven Luke takes those distinctions and makes an organic, cinematic rock statement, with a decidedly human heart.
Artist Spotlight
Dan Webb finds joy and movement ahead on new single “Thai Basil”
“Thai Basil“ is a refreshing change of pace. This new release from Dan Webb is a funk, jazz, and electronic track that trades the heavier subject matter of his recent singles for something much more immediate. It’s a party that celebrates life and the present moment. The track is the first single from his forthcoming fifth album, “Lion Dance,” and draws on Southeast Asian flavors.
The heart of “Thai Basil“ is a stacked horn chart played by Ron Blake and James King, both of whom are in The Rolling Stones’ horn section and also played on Hackney Diamonds and Foreign Tongues. This gives the track a strong brass-led identity, and the horns become a defining part of its musical character. The arrangement suggests a sound meant for movement and energy.
The album’s previous singles have delved into Taoist philosophy, Buddhist tradition, loss, displacement, self-identity and reinvention. “Thai Basil“ breaks from those weightier subjects but keeps the album’s sense of artistic discovery. It’s about presence, pleasure, and the simple fact of being alive.
“Thai Basil“ is more playful and celebratory, never settling into one emotional space, and pulls from a unique array of jazz, funk, and electronic influences. What is released expands the image of what “Lion Dance” can be, showing it can be not just a journey through identity and change, but a journey that can be welcoming and simply happy.
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