“At the heart of this project is the belief that we are each other’s buoyancy. […] May these sounds & words help you float calmly through uncertain seas & serve as a vessel for reflection.”
Eli Utne
A soulful folk suite that approaches and recedes like a lifetime of emotional turmoil and inner peace, Uncertain Seas is the second full-length by Oakland singer-songwriter Eli Utne. Beginning with a speech made by his maternal great-grandfather over the radio in 1950, the album is interspersed throughout with voice recordings, furthering the concept that no matter how bad things get, “we’re in the same boat.” Reminiscent of Sea Change-era Beck, the predominantly Americana-style folk songs mostly move as slowly as ambient music, altered here and there (noticeably or not) by studio tinkering. “Balance” stands apart, slipping into a feel-good psychedelic groove to remind us that even in uncertain seas there can be moments when everything is alright.
