2020 has been nothing if not a year of firsts, and for many, these firsts have been of their entire lifetime. But between the anxieties that come with civil, political, and economic wreckoning; art has a tendency of persevering - in some cases, even thriving. La Palma has certainly proven this with their latest single “Sábado”, which was released on all streaming platforms November 1st.
La Palma is a musical duo consisting of Chris Walker and Tim Gibbon, an impressive feat in its essence, since the band’s sound reflects a much fuller musical landscape than the machinations of two artists collaborating. The band’s 2019 self-titled debut album featured a kaleidoscope of color and delicate layers, creating a certain bouquet that’s difficult to fully name - perhaps because there is a freshness within the creativity between these two artists.
“Sábado” - like many musical ventures in 2020, was written and produced in total mutual isolation between Walker and Gibbon, with each sending tracks back and forth from San Francisco to Washington D.C. On its surface, “Sábado” has psych-rock roots and lives in a space where shoegaze meets folk, creating a liminality where we would normally strictly define these genres. That certainly works for the core concept of this piece, since the song is meant to explore the space where reality and dreams collide. This is a fitting presentation and representation for the year we have all currently endured, since many of us have felt a truth in living inside a “waking dream.” This is what “Sábado” also feels like, but from a much more explorative, lush, and calming perspective. Dreamy vocals mix with percussion, organ, and acoustic guitar in a Beach Boys reminiscent style, reminding us all that transitional space doesn’t always need to be a place of anxiety - but rather, can signify new growth, and perhaps a fuller, more whole, and better tomorrow.
It is in these in-between spaces where most real, new growth occurs; and I believe this is what La Palma has found with their new single. They created a snapshot of a waking dream, and in turn, the dream now perseveres within the waking world. And isn’t that what all art is about to begin with? We dream it, then we do it. And in its essence, that is what La Palma has accomplished here: a dream in between, that's now created a life of its very own.
- Lee Moretti, BMN Contributor