The music of Dal Santo is characterised by the whirlwind experiences of its band members.
Made up of James Donnoli (vocals/bass), John Gaurav (guitar/vocals) and Ben Pali (drums), this burgeoning punk-reggae outfit have been on a journey; a journey marked as much by bereavement as consolidation.
Their sophomore album Patong Beach isn’t just a record that has been banged together from a whiff of inspiration in a back shed. This LP comes after Wong and Gaurav lost a close friend and embarked on a trip to Patong Beach in Thailand.
The album is filled with optimism and embodies a collection of zealous music makers. This doesn’t mean it’s all flaring punk and the trio know when to alleviate the tempo of the blaring ‘Party Girl’ and energetic ‘Come Back To Me Baby’ and ‘Chevy Chase’. ‘Leave The Light On’ is a refreshing acoustic number that transports listeners to the scene of one of their stripped back performances by Patong Beach.
While the aforementioned ‘Come Back To Me Baby’ and ‘Chevy Chase’ are the album’s party-starters, closing track ‘Rain’ encapsulates the album’s concept and narrative of mourning and resilience. This band has been through a lot and it’s fitting that they’d cap off the album with its most telling tale. What’s next, Dal Santo?
Dal Santo are celebrating the release of Patong Beach on Thursday August 22 at the Evelyn Hotel. For more info, head to the Facebook event.
