JOEL SARAKULA Vinyl & CDs

Review: On his new single 'Pacifico Waves', Joel Sarakula takes the scenic route down a pacific coastline, searching for peace, enlightenment and the perfect sunset. Travelling and searching is nothing new to Sarakula: it's almost his default way of being. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia before swapping oceans to live in the UK and more recently onwards to Gran Canaria: "I've been busy making my islands smaller" he jokes. But the music on 'Pacifico Waves' sounds like none of these places: with its easy drum shuffle, soulful guitar hooks and smooth vocal harmonies it distinctly evokes Southern California. It's such a potent portrait of the West Coast that if not for the contemporary lyrics and some modern production techniques, it could be a long lost hit from an early 80s LA studio band.

Review: Joel Sarakula has pitched his approach perfectly, capturing that 70s soft rock sound in no uncertain terms and bringing out the best of the genre. That means more of the groove and less of the waft, with exquisite songwriting at the heart of everything. New single 'Midnight Driver' is an instant classic in the making, channeling all the best moments of Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers et al into a toe-tapping tribute of the highest calibre. 'I'm Still Winning' on the flip is just as on-point, channeling a little of Rufus' honey-coated funk in the production and playing - and that's high praise indeed.