8/10

With their latest EP 'You Don’t Say', LA-based duo Sam and the Sea take a cinematic dive into blurred memories, late-night confessions, and the strange comfort of an analogue tape hiss. The follow-up to their well-received single 'Deny', this three-track collection feels like stumbling upon a half-developed roll of film, filled with memories and textured imagery throughout.

The opener 'Power Lines' is a slow-burn stunner. Built on a bed of dreamy tones and tape-warped guitars, it meanders with purpose, like a road trip through suburban Los Angeles where the destination matters less than the feeling of being in motion. Sam’s lyrics circle around longing and disillusionment, tracing the way we follow false signals in search of something that always seems just out of reach.

The title-track is where the EP truly finds its heartbeat. 'You Don’t Say' unfolds in three movements, forgoing a conventional structure in favour of emotional architecture. The verses stretch out before giving way to a final section that breaks open in a flood of layered vocals and gauzy textures. It’s the most vulnerable the band have sounded to date; unpolished in the best way, and unafraid to linger in the ache.

While closing number 'TK09' sees them lean further into abstraction. With its distorted vocal loops and ghostly synths, it’s a meditation on absence and disconnection that never quite resolves.

What sets 'You Don’t Say' apart is the duo’s commitment to recorded imperfection. Laid down to a four-track tape in rural New York and Iceland, these songs embrace their cracks and hiss, allowing warmth and fragility to live side-by-side. It’s an EP that settles under your skin, quietly reminding you of something you almost forgot. In an era of over-polished production, Sam and the Sea offer something tender, tactile, and refreshingly human.