There are bands out there that I see them perform, catch a music video, or listen to a song and immediately think, “I’d love to hang out with these people.” Blue Child Collective falls with a resounding bang into that category. This Australian funk/psych rock group has so many endearing qualities that include, but go well beyond, the song itself.
Let’s start with Dan White, the frontman. His voice is much deeper than I was expecting when I heard the groove kick in, but it is everything I didn’t know I needed. The pure, ringing notes add to this “exploration of vibration” much more than if someone was taking the more popular approach of being a fifth or even an octave higher than Dan. It is a unique and soul seeking sound that has found it’s home in the perfectly balanced instrumentation provided by the instruments and nature behind him. After watching the documentary about the creation of the album, “Saturn Saw the Seaside” (which will be posted below), it is abundantly clear that this is what Dan holds most dear: finding a like-minded community of musicians and creatives, and digging in to make something they can all be proud of.
And what a group of musicians it is! I mean, seriously. First, I need to start off by giving OJ Newcomb insane praise for one of the slickest bass lines I’ve heard in a while. This song is what pure collaboration looks like. Every instrument, from the trumpet to the keys feels like an integral featured part of the song while keeping the cohesive unit in tact. I also have to touch on the saxophone solo from Lindsay Baker at the 2:30 mark. Damn. Knowing very little about the saxophone, I feel like that’s the only word I can use to really sum up what I saw. I’ve seriously gone back to watch the video just for that part. This Collective is something really extraordinary all the way around.
Lastly, the lyrics. The whole point of this song is to “reveal the cosmic doorways you never realized you’ve always known,” and it holds true to that summation. Music has been a huge crux for me when defining my faith, spirituality, and who I am as a person. They go into that, but make sure to make it clear that they don’t care what truth you find in music, just as long as you search for it.
“I don’t care what you believe. Believe whatever you want.”
“Really, at the end, the conclusion that I come to is that we are the sound.”
-Seth