Coastal‘s debut album, Memories, is a beautiful retro-flavored album full of catchy lines, hooks, and nostalgic feelings. The album takes the listener on a journey through the ups and downs of life, with each song telling a different story. Memories combine different genres, including pop vocals, synthwave sounds, and the energy of rock music.
This beautiful release, published by Aztec Records, was one of the best surprises in the retro scene of 2021 and it’s a beautifully crafted collection of songs that will leave you feeling nostalgic for your own memories and amazed by the artist’s skills.
Memories - Luca's Take
Some of the most beautiful music ever made was created in the retro era.
Nowadays, the “pop” musical world is divided between people doing music that merely relies on grooves and impactful sounds in order to shake their inner selves, while others rely on a much more deeper and emotional style.
It’s almost a given that people belonging to the last category would take inspiration from the most emotional time ever for music: the 80s-90s.
Most of this music heavily relies on nostalgic imagery, with pictures of cassettes, bikes, sport-cars, beaches, palms, and city skylines.
While many artists usually concentrate only on one of these things at a time, the feeling that I get from Coastal’s “Memories” is of a beautiful, and at times melancholic, mix of everything.
The album feels exactly like the name suggests: a collection of different memories. Some happy, some sad, some encouraging, and some melancholic, spreading in a variegated number of different scenarios.
LUCA'S FAVOURITE TRACK IN MEMORIES:
My favorite track in the album is “Last Sundown” but let me tell you: I had quite a few troubles picking one!
In order to review this album, I’ve listened to it at least 50 times and the songs are all so beautiful that picking one as a favorite has been an extremely hard task!
Still, after all those repetitions, I realized that Last Sundown was the only track that, when playing, made me go: “oh, here it is again!“
That should mean something, right?
Catchy melodies and lyrics, beautiful synth sounds, and a nostalgic but energetic vibe create a beautiful atmosphere that almost makes me forget that the lyrics of the song are actually serious and at times even depressing!
An endless circle of despair, starting again and again as we live a lie that we believe is our salvation.
A perfect metaphor for many of us in this present day.
Memories - Alex's Take
When I was in the car, listening to the first track I was disappointed thinking about how much I wished it had lasted at least 10 minutes!
Lucky that it was only the beginning of a very dreamy driving emotion that prepares you for a dynamic album, with slightly nostalgic but lively nuances, like those who are far from home and are about to return, walking the streets and places where they have grown up, ready to rejoice in every memory that comes to life, marveling at what one had forgotten and found again
ALEX'S FAVOURITE TRACKS IN MEMORIES:
Conclusions
Memories, by Coastal, is a great synthpop album that is both nostalgic and melancholic.
The songs are beautiful and the lyrics are great, but, above all, they’re powerful. The combination of uplifting synthpop and thoughtful lyrics is always a good one in my book, as long as it’s done with taste and finesse.
If you’re one for longing memories and nostalgia, then this album is definitely for you.
Now it’s your turn to listen and enjoy!
We’ve left two music boxes below for your enjoyment so don’t be shy: click play on Spotify, or buy the album on Bandcamp, and start your journey in memories!
Then leave a message in the comment section below and let us know your thoughts on it.
Remember: Art Can Be More!
Luca and Alex
