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PREMIERE: Benji and the Saltwater Sound System will cure your lockdown blues on ‘A-OK’

Since their relatively recent formation, Benji and the Saltwater Sound System have hit the shore running with pacific flavours and an abundance of tasteful sounds.

Their latest offering A-OK is no exception.

A-OK is a carefully crafted single, blending gentle vocals and provocative lyricism with warm, reggae guitar and tight drumming.

Benji and the SSS snowballed into the public eye after releasing their debut EP, Coming Up for Water. Consistent gigging and high profile festival slots at events like Woodford and The National Folk Festival have also helped push the band’s raw sounds into the limelight.

A-OK kicks off with some tight drumming and tasteful, reggae-style electric guitar licks, pulling the listener into a brighter environment. A beach comes to mind, considering the band’s South Coast lifestyle. After wiping the sand out of your eyes, softly delivered lines like “wind down my ambitions, let me tell my little white lies” provoke and stir, adding subtle complexity to the breezy sounding track. The vocal delivery is reminiscent of a Jack Johnson cut, however, this won’t stop your head from nodding forward on every backbeat.

The chorus adds some colourful chords drenched in reverb, which sit nicely behind in the mix. It’s the lyrics though, which feel more relevant than ever, that you’ll remember. “And if we’re not A-OK, we’ll still be okay”. This is a great little reminder from the band that everything works out in the end. Stuck in isolation, this message is an especially pleasant distraction from the uncertainty and panic amidst the coronavirus crisis. The track continues, carried by cute, sunny guitar work and a steady drumbeat to cling to. Check out the track below: