Slack Key 'Ohana Delivers A Blend Of Southern and Traditional Island Music
If there is one thing that I don't quite have enough of in my life, it's island music. There's something about the genre that puts your mind at ease and brings a sense of calmness. When you close your eyes, you can picture yourself on a sandy beach, with the sun shining down on you, and you can almost feel the warmth of the sun itself on your skin.
I've always loved island music and had a healthy fascination with Hawaii, a place I've never quite made it to yet.
As much as I would love to stick my toes in the sand on some kind of beautiful island, unfortunately, at the moment, that's not the case. However, having come across the new record from Slack Key 'Ohana, I feel like I'm definitely getting closer.
If you're not quite familiar with the group, this is actually a trio that consists of acoustic instruments and three family members: Ryan Witkin, along with his mother, Carol Witkin, and his father, Joe Witkin.
You can only imagine how much time they've spent together jamming and writing songs. Well, the new album displays a lot of that joy and enthusiasm through its rich harmonies and inviting textures.
The 'Ohana Sessions is a brilliant release that feels amazing to take in, song by song.
"Under the Moonlight" opens up the record with smooth harmonies and vocals that flow atop light, rhythmic percussion and beautifully flowing, tropical instrumentation, including slack-key guitar, acoustic guitar, and ukulele. The rich vocals help the soundscape come through with color and character.
Many of the songs feature this gorgeous delivery and collection of sounds that most certainly invite you to close your eyes and drift away.
This track, in particular, even has lyrics that refer to feeling the warmth of the sun, so it all comes back to that island vibe. If the instrumentation isn't enough to transport you, the lyrics will be.
You can tell that this little family is in its zone. This is their happy place, and they're sharing that feeling with you.
I think what many people don't recognize is that slack-key guitar is a very particular approach to playing, one that captures that familiar Hawaiian vibe and aesthetic we all know.
I wanted to mention this simply because many of us have heard this style before and automatically associate it with island music, but don't really know exactly what it is.
The way it works is that the guitar is tuned using what's called an open tuning, giving the notes and chords a naturally resonant quality. This brings a spirited, positive feeling to the music and creates a colorful sonic palette that wouldn't be there otherwise.
"Heading for the Country" still displays plenty of island influences but moves further into country music with its performance and overall approach. It's got a classic Americana touch, and I quite enjoyed how they began to branch out into different areas while still sticking to their roots with the whole Hawaiian, island music, and slack-key approach.
"Hawaiian Cowboy" nails this approach by bringing those two genres and styles together in a seamless fashion.
There are unexpected elements sprinkled throughout the record, and the whole thing feels incredibly refreshing.
The vocals can go either way, too. When a song moves toward a more country-inspired approach, the vocals automatically feel deeper and more robust, with an almost vintage country depth to the performance.
With songs that embrace more traditional island music, the vocals take on a different character. They become more melodic and soothing, with sustained notes that naturally bring more of that island aesthetic to the table. It's amazing how he's able to move between these styles and adjust his approach depending on the instrumental character and songwriting of each song.
The record has a lot to take in, and it's a great time. This is one of those albums that you don't really want to skip around, but instead, listen to all the way through, not just for some of the unexpected elements, but also so you can soak in the record the way it was meant to be heard.
This is almost like an escape. A vacation, if you will. Like I said earlier, it feels like the closest I'm getting to sticking my toes in the sand and soaking up the sun at the moment, so I'm definitely taking it.
They do such an amazing job of capturing the essence of these places and immersing you in their atmosphere.
But don't just take my word for it. Listen to this record so you can really take in the songs, the warmth, the tones, and everything else it has to offer. Again, this blends traditional island slack-key guitar music with elements of country and Americana, so as you make your way through the record, you're going to encounter some surprises.
It's all totally worth it.
Remember where you heard it all first.
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