Grassy Spark
Portal (Gallo Music)
Breakdown: They burst onto the scene last year with their smash hit single ‘Living In A Paradise’ and their new single ‘Here I Am’ is dominating the local airwaves at the moment making the seven-piece ska band one of the most exciting new South African acts. Now, Grassy Spark have dropped their debut album ‘Portal’.
How Many Good Tracks: 9 of the 11.
What I Liked: This is South African music at it’s best. Not only is the band diverse, but so are their influences and you can hear this throughout their album. The album is filled with infectious grooves, beautiful melodies, interesting electronic elements, reggae influences and a whole lot of brass – making this one of the most unique local albums released in 2016. Being a seven-piece band, Grassy Spark are busy, full of energy and almost chaotic with their music – but it works. The instrumentals on the album are insane and it’s their control of this which has made them one of South Africa’s finest live acts. The songwriting on the record is impressive and gives us a glimpse into the band’s soul – something each and every song should do. This is a fantastic debut album and if this is any indication, the band is going to do some big things in the years to come.
What I Didn’t Like: The only disappointing thing is that the album left me wanting a whole lot more. This is a very strong release.
Best Track: Living In A Paradise (Feat. Jeremy Loops)
Rating: 4/5
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