Sam Foster Smith comes racing out of the blocks on debut EP South West Summer, turning memories of coastal adolescence into four gloriously expansive indie-rock songs.
The title track sets the tone alongside ‘Go With The Flow’, with huge vocal hooks, bright power-pop guitars and festival-sized choruses capturing the freedom of deep blue water, teenage adventures and summers that seemed capable of lasting forever.
Then he changes course. ‘Daedalus’ introduces jangling acoustics, pounding toms, strings and a distinctive Celtic influence, pushing his songwriting into folkier territory without sacrificing the soaring melodies at its heart.
Closing track ‘Runaways’ might be the biggest revelation. Taking cues from Sam Fender and Future Islands, it combines widescreen indie-pop with his instinct for crowd-ready melodies, bringing the EP to an exhilarating finish.
Foster Smith arranged every part from his living room before recording with Gareth Nuttall at Lounge Studios, with Grant Berry handling mastering.
Part coming-of-age story and part love letter to the coastline that shaped him, South West Summer makes Sam Foster Smith’s debut feel bigger than four tracks. It’s nostalgic, euphoric and bursting with the promise of what comes next.