A Warm And Inviting Record from Slack Key ʻOhana
- R.A.G.
- Aug 15
- 4 min read
An absolutely gorgeous new release from Slack Key ʻOhana delivers the best, breezy, freeing, colorful vibes that you could imagine, as they put out this beautifully conducted island music complete with outstanding instrumentation that really nails the aesthetic.
The album is packed with warm tonality that just pulls you right in and keeps you right where it wants to. It feels good to listen to this record because it sets your mind at ease in so many different ways.
It is relaxing, and if you listen to the record with headphones on and close your eyes, it really takes you away to a completely different place, which is part of the point, I think.
The group is getting back to their roots in Island music, and you can absolutely hear the love they have for what they do. They're amazing at their craft, and when I say that, I don't just mean playing the instruments; I mean writing the songs.
A lot of these songs capture a certain mood and energy.
This is a family band, with each of the members bringing their own element to help create the atmosphere.
I can't even imagine what it must be like to have a family band like this and actually perform music that warms people up the way they do.
The album is called The ʻOhana Sessions, and it kicks off with a track called "Under The Moonlight", which is an amazing song to introduce the record with because you're getting a great feel for what you can expect on the rest of the release.
This song, in particular, boasts a lot of natural, smooth-toned flows.
A lot of that comes from the pedal steel, which is being performed throughout the entire thing, and this adds a beautiful texture and flavor to the song that really pushes that island soundscape to the maximum.
This is really a breathtaking piece of work, and throughout it you also have acoustic guitars, which sound like to play it on Spanish classical with nylon strings, and more. The record also consists of ukulele, some percussion, slack key guitar, lap steel, and so much more.
Now, for me, it's hard to differentiate between lap steel and pedal steel. I know that they're different instruments and I know the effect that they give, but when I hear them I can't tell if it's either lap or pedal steel with my natural ear, mostly because I don't know quite enough about the instruments.
But I can tell you both lap and pedal steel are performed.
Either way, those are the instruments that really add that particular flow and movement to the sounds.
There's also some great ukulele performances, some keys, and just a great combination of natural tones that come together, creating something that invites you in.
It's been a while since I heard a record that's quite this inviting, actually.
The vocals are very melodically driving. They always have some memorable melodies that come through with hooks, even in the verses half of the time.
Songs like "Take Me Away" give you natural harmonies on those vocals, and laid-back rhythms that you can kind of float alongside.
One of the greatest things about this record is that, among the island soundscape, they're able to blend in other elements.
" Hawaiian Cowboy" serves as a perfect example, as the track leans way into Southern-toned Americana and Country. They pull this off seamlessly as well. I feel like the island music lends a hand to that country staple. Those lap and pedal steels are heard a lot in country music, so it seems like a natural movement into the genre.
I love hearing this because it was a bit surprising, and I definitely dig how they made it work so perfectly and smoothly.
"Coming Home" brings more Southern tonality once again, but this one is more of a 50/50 blend between the island and the country. I love the vocals on this one too because again, they sort of welcome you in, and deliver classic Country lyrics.
One of my favorite tracks on the record is called "Slack Key ʻOhana", which brings us back to that tropical, Island feel, layered vocals, call-back singing coming from the background, and the way all of it layers on top of each other is just brilliant.
The whole record just displays this bright and embracing set of tones, and listening to the record makes you want to go see them perform it, right in front of you.
Once again, I would suggest listening to the whole record in one shot. It's just the best way to soak it all in, because there's so much going on throughout the 11 tracks the release boasts.
There are a few surprises around the corners, but for the most part, this is something that sticks to its roots while still branching off here and there to showcase their love for connecting genres.
This family band is made up of people who are masters of their instruments, purely from passion.
Don't miss this one because it's definitely something different, refreshing, rejuvenating, and again, the warmth that emanates from the performances and the instruments is just outstanding.
Check this out right now so you can hear exactly what I'm talking about.
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