“SANTA CRUZ (MEMORY BLUES)” BY BLUE TOMORROWS OFFERS A DREAMY ESCAPE

Blue Tomorrows, the act straight from the mind of Sarah Nienaber, recently dropped “Santa Cruz (Memory Blues),” a taste of her upcoming third album, ‘Weather Forever.’ What seems, at first, a moody undertaking quickly reveals itself as a bright, nostalgic piece that transcends decades.

The track starts with atmospheric synths that drift you away to a far-off place. The sounds are peaceful, melancholic, and meditative.

Around the 30-second mark, the track completely switches its melody with a faster pace, echoey vocals, and the harmonious strumming of an acoustic guitar. I almost wish the transition were smoother, because it immediately goes into a beautiful but contrasting sound. I appreciate how warm and cozy the rest of the song feels, with its most decisive moments appearing during the chorus’ musical highs.

Speaking of Santa Cruz, the track takes in that surf culture influence, with a guitar solo that has a bit of surf rock with a touch of The Velvet Underground. On a similar note, the cadence of her vocals and the song in general has a hefty Spacemen 3 influence. Very groovy, indeed.

The synths that led from the start come back with a lighter, distorted shoegaze sound. It’s bright, with an unmatched early-70s psychedelic vibe. While experimental, “Santa Cruz (Memory Blues)” has a perkiness to it that keeps things interesting.