Whilst not instantly drawn to today’s song, there is something about it that keeps pulling me in and now I find that I’ve actually become quite fond of it! This is definitely a grower and I love it when a song creeps into your head like this!
Featuring on an album issued in 1970 on a small label called W/W Records, Down By The Ocean was one of only eight songs released by a band called Heaven on their one and only self-titled record. Apart from the fact that this band hailed from Lincoln, Nebraska and specialised in a jazzy-rock/psych sound, there isn’t too much else out there about them, unfortunately. What happened to them and why did they only record one LP? If anyone reading this knows, you are welcome to get in touch!
With a little bit of delving, however, I have discovered that Down By The Ocean has been sampled in a couple of hip hop tracks recently. These songs being Armani Caesar’s Liz Claiborne Jr 1 & 2 and Bradford Thomas’ 4 7 8 .
I do love the blissed-out, mellow Down By The Ocean so effortlessly emits and love the way this translates into the instrumentation. Beats like crisp waves patter their tidal rhythms with loose structure, whilst vocals dreamily lay amidst their break. There is something quietly powerful about this track and it really comes into its own during the chorus and break before and after. This change in melody, accompanied by soaring backing vocals, really adds a touch of soulful delight. See what you think? Give it a few listens back to back and see what it does for you?
Enjoy!
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