Western Australian Folk Duo, Salt Tree has released their 3rd official EP, "Swell", the first of two collections of music in ode to the ocean and surrounds of their Margaret River hometown.
TRACKLIST
Take My Hand
I'll Be Here
We Were Young
Follow Me in the Ocean
Garden
Dreaming of a Future
Salt Tree is made up of Tom and Nath, best friends from different backgrounds who have created a bond over their love of surfing, nature, and of course, music. Salt Tree debuted in 2020 with their first single, "She's The One". In 2021, their third single "Out Of The Water" gained a lot of traction, currently having over 12 million streams on Spotify alone, which eventually led them to releasing their debut EP of the same name in 2022. Salt Tree has been unstoppable since, now having over 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and just dropping their 3rd EP, "Swell" which we will be discussing today! "Swell" was completely self-written and self-produced by Tom and Nath in their home studio. Their writing not only comes from a very personal place, and covers issues such as mental health, addiction, self-reflection, personal growth, love and loss, but it also acts as a peaceful soundtrack to lovers of the ocean, mountains and forest and to those who find strength in nature.
Take My Hand
We kick off the EP with "Take My Hand" a feel-good song filled with the joy of being in love and exploring the unknown. There's really nothing like going on adventures and discovering new things with the person you love. It's sometimes even better when you have no idea what you're getting yourself into, and you're just taking things as they come. As long as you're with your person, everything will be okay. "Take My Hand" starts with a gentle, serene acoustic guitar picking pattern, and then it builds into bright folk song with a stomping rhythm and banjo. Tom and Nath have soft, yet cheery vocal tones that compliment each other perfectly. The harmonies are smooth like butter, and have a bit of a Celtic flare reminiscent of Mumford and Sons.
I'll Be Here
Next, we have "I'll Be Here" which is about being in love with someone who hasn't always had it easy in life, but you want them to know that no matter what, you will always be there for them. Even if they get in a dark place, or they decide to run away, you'll still be waiting for them when they're ready to come back. The verses feel like being at the beach, I immediately thought of Hawaii while listening to the instrumentation. The chorus has a stomp and clap beat with a very classic Americana folk groove with acoustic guitar and banjo. The melody and vocal harmonies and sweet and gentle on the ears. There were some stop and go moments in this song, which I felt really added a lot to the feel of the rhythm and groove.
We Were Young
"We Were Young" is about longing for the days when things were more simple. When we cared more about exploring outside in the dirt and creating imaginary stories with our friends instead of having our noses shoved in a screen all day; when our dream was to live on a farm somewhere rather than ending up struggling in a corporate world. This song has a beautifully simple soundscape, making it a super catchy track to get into. The melody is such an ear-worm, especially in the chorus; it's made it make you want to sing along. It's almost like a chant. Sometimes simple really is best, because not only does this song have such an important message that many of us can relate to, but it's a great song for crowd work in a live performance and to get stuck in people's heads.
Follow Me in the Ocean
Next we have "Follow Me in the Ocean". This song touches on the subject of mental health, and becoming aware of how it has effected you. However, you're also aware of the things that make it better. In this instance, we know that Tom and Nath are very connected to the ocean, as well as nature in general. Nath in particular used the ocean as his safe place when he was going through personal struggles. Surfing on the waves, and listening to the sounds of nature not only help him release his emotions, but it inspired him to create the music that we are hearing on this EP. "Follow Me in the Ocean" is such a gentle, emotive piece. There's the signature acoustic guitar playing yet another gorgeous picking pattern, but it's so soft, really putting emphasis on the delicate vocals and lyrics. It's powerful and soul-stirring to feel the raw vulnerability coming from this song.
Garden
"Garden" starts with dueling acoustic guitars and some light piano; the vibe is so gentle it almost sounds like a lullaby. The mood feels like genuine contentment and peace. The song builds ever so slightly, with signature country folk instrumentation and a modern beat twist. Of course, we can't forget those cathartic vocal harmonies. "Garden" is about finding someone who makes any sort of stress or pain in your life disappear when you're with them. When you're next to them you feel calm and at ease. It's these moments that you want to live in forever; you hope the feeling never fades, but you make the most of every second you have anyway. The lyrics in this song are so beautifully poetic, and they flow effortlessly with the compassionate melody.
Dreaming of a Future
Lastly, we end the EP on "Dreaming of a Future", a hopeful and optimistic indie folk track influenced by soft rock and a little bit of blues. "Dreaming of a Future" is about coming out of a dark mental rut, and finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. It's about knowing that there is something good waiting for you out there; you just have to be strong and hold on until you find it. It's no good just sitting and festering in negativity and sadness. We all have to have something to look forward to, or else we end up losing our minds. So go on and be a dreamer, because that's better than nothing! I loved the smooth soundscape of this song, accompanied by the bluesy, western electric guitar riffs. It reminded me of early John Mayer.
I think this EP is a very defining project for Salt Tree. Not only is it some of their most vulnerable and personal work, but it also literally sounds like who they are as individuals and friends - nature lovers, surfers, and ocean fanatics. You can hear the personality and the emotion behind the music itself, and within their voices and lyrics when they sing. It's a beautiful work of art that sounds so natural and effortless. I also love how each song flows together, sounding like they belong within one story. They created this signature style that you can hear throughout the EP with the timbre of the guitar and the drums. Nothing feels out of place, but nothing is exactly the same either. It's also unbelievably impressive that Tom and Nath pieced together everything on this project by themselves - from the writing, to the recording, to the production. Everything is so clear and graceful, there's no questioning the remarkable talent these two have and the creative chemistry that they share. If you enjoyed "Swell", be sure to check out the rest of Salt Tree's discography! They are also heading out on tour, so make sure to check for dates near you on their socials below!
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
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