“Wanna go to space?” “Shore”
Maybe it’s an expected side-effect of today’s digital age, but it is harder to keep people’s attention. It’s not surprising that singles dominate the radio and the minds and ears of listeners everywhere. The middle ground (which shouldn’t be an oasis of perfect attention-holding, but alas) is the EP — that four-to-five track sweet spot. Most avid listeners have their favorites, and Ride’s Tomorrow’s Shore might just find itself on those lists.
Everyone has heard “the future is bright,” and for most people, this is true. However, Ride doesn’t fully embrace this mindset: “There it goes again/and again.” Absent partners miss the important moments even when they’re there. If they really were as invested as their other, they’d see those shootings stars with them. “Pulsar” recreates the wonder of seeing one of those magical stars in the night sky; not only through the surface level interpretation of the lyrics but also through the synth that tags alongside all interested travelers for a look at Earth from space. The words are slightly hard to hear underneath the instruments, which is a minor challenge in comparison to trying to hear people talk on Earth when up among the stars.
Driving around familiar streets one day, flying around planets the next. “Keep it Surreal,” commands track two. This is an easy thing to do when imagination is unshackled and allowed full room to roam, and even easier when dreams finally come true. But like most “too good to be true” things, it doesn’t last as long as expected. Three minutes and fifteen seconds seems short, by contrast, up against two four-minute songs and one that’s nearly six and a half minutes.
Everything starts to wind down at the close of a day, even if a day is entirely self-constructed as it would be up in space. Come lie down and look out the window at the beauty life beholds with “Cold Water People” playing. As much as it’s a dimming of the lights, it’s also an invitation — “I’ll follow you back into the sea again.” Fully aware of the dangers of eye-catching objects (things, places or people), Ride ignores its cautious inner self and lets the beauty of the world, mystery and all, take it away.
“Catch You Dreaming.” What a name! That’s enough to cause tires to squeal as drivers frantically try and get into the exit lane for this song. And oh my lucky stars, it delivers. Every time “We’ve done nothing wrong” rolls around, a collection of all feelable emotions form, take a sigh and smile a grand smile. They don’t take their time piquing interest, dropping head-turning synths at the beginning of the song, and the ‘cool’ of that sound doesn’t fade throughout the six-plus minute endeavor.
EPs are never to be thought of as less powerful than albums solely on the grounds of fewer tracks. This is a fantastic project that deserves many listens. So press play, lie down and space out to the tune of Tomorrow’s Shore.
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