‘Oh, Blue’ from La Luz is the kind of dreamy surf rock we all need
Find yourself transported straight to a California beach on a lazy summer’s day — then gaze out at the ocean and just chill
Photo: Pooneh Ghana
This track was listed as ‘surf rock’ on the working document we have for The Indie Scene. I suppose, with that type of music in mind, I was expecting something a little more upbeat. Perhaps I’m just out of step with the modern definition of surf rock, because Oh, Blue by La Luz, to me, was much more of a woozy, dreamy and sleepy affair.
The band started in Seattle in the summer of 2012, and I found one website which describes their sound as ‘surf noir, with layered vocal harmonies.’ Perhaps, if we’re sticking with the surf and beach theme you could say their music — in particular this track – is like one of those long summer afternoons at the beach, staring up at the impossibly blue sky, or gazing out at the ocean watching the waves gently lap the shore.
Pretty nice, right?
And the video is interesting: in that it has guitarist and singer Shana Cleveland front and centre, twanging her guitar as she sings directly to us. At one point the camera cuts to a close up of her hands playing a solo – which I guess counts for the video’s climactic moment, if there was one. In terms of framing and lighting, it put me in mind of ‘60s Technicolor, or more recently a nod to that era with a movie I saw a few years ago – a 2016 horror called The Love Witch, which has since gone on to become a cult classic.
Still from ‘The Love Witch’ (2016)
So as references go, it’s a good one. I’m not sure if that’s what the band was going for, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re big fans of that movie, given their references and the cool merch they put out. If you want a good sense of their vibe, see their Instagram.
Back to the song: I have to admit, Shana’s vocals quickly won me over. I had planned to listen to a punk track today, or something a bit more upbeat to help wake me up and get going. But actually Oh, Blue was perfect for the Sunday morning that I found myself writing this – gently welcoming me into the day, letting me know everything was going to be alright.
On a side note… not all of their music is quite as dreamy as this track. I found myself going down a rabbit hole discovering some of their other work, including live performances – one in particular where they perform a track called T.V. Dream, which had me feeling like I’d stepped straight into Jack Rabbit Slim’s diner in Pulp Fiction, at the moment when Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega were about to start their impossibly cool dance routine. If Tarantino hasn’t heard of La Luz, someone should let him know (although I bet he has).
In fact, everyone should check them out.
The self-titled album is out on the 22nd of October via Hardly Act.
