Photo: Jack Taylor
Ever since London-based outfit The White Russian, a group headed up by singer-songwriter Joseph Giffard Tutt, emerged with their breakthrough debut single 'Cancer Knee' in 2021, they have been seen as one of the more innovative names doing the rounds. Blending a folk-pop-inspired aesthetic with a more immersive atmosphere throughout their work to date, they are now following up last year's debut EP 'You Are' with the sweeping new cut 'Sea Song'.
With its beautifully composed piano-led direction, harnessing some riveting textures from start to finish, 'Sea Song' sees them pursue some of their most adventurous ideas to date. While still very much cemented within their distinctive White Russian sound throughout, this new outing makes for an entirely fresh and dynamic feel, swapping a bouncing groove for more sombre elements at every turn.
Adding about the new track, Joseph explained, "I must have played the piano riff over a hundred times to myself before the lyrics came along. I sat at my window at the keyboard and although I couldn't see the sea it was just a few hundred yards away, and was vibing at me. I suppose the qualities that bleed through into the song are about touching into deep waters; the things eternal to us and the struggles we may never really conquer in this lifetime.
"The ethos behind writing for me is very much ‘first thought best thought.’ I suppose when I listen to the lyrics now I can hear the pull between a part of myself wanting to soothe and encourage, and another part that just comes along and with brutal honesty destroys that other part’s argument. Both seem true as these two forces trying to reconcile. Maybe that’s why the sections in the song are so ridiculously different and yet are allowed to coincide with each other, or at least co-habit the same space.”
The band's debut collection certainly brought plenty of praise and acclaim to their work so far, but 'Sea Song' feels like a whole new step forward for their musical evolution to date. Finding and developing such a diverse mix of instrumentation is never an easy feat, yet The White Russian seem to embrace it with style and aplomb from beginning to end.
Enjoy 'Sea Song' below.