Into The Good Light by From The Ground Up
A memorable introduction to an indie worship band brimming with honesty and truth.
Hi Pal,
Before we get into it, I’d like to welcome all the new subscribers. I got an early bird copy of the new EP by From The Ground Up and that’s why we are here today. Release Date: 23rd February, 2024.
From The Ground Up was born from the tragic loss of a family member to COVID-19, and the mindset behind the band's name is one of rebuilding from the embers of what has been lost. I found them through an Instagram post from an account I cannot remember right now. What I remember clearly, is hearing the songs ‘Open Arms’ and ‘Sweet Honey’ and knowing that they were a band worth keeping an eye on.
This EP begins with the song ‘All I Need’. It is a folksy tune carried by an easy-going repeated riff and soothing vocals. Lyrically, it’s a declaration of total dependency on God. Moving into the last minute of the tune, it surprisingly pivots into a glorious atmospheric instrumental section, before coming to a close with the same introductory riff.
‘Oh What A Saviour’ is a tune that speaks of the love of Christ and the intimate care that is reflected in His creation of the world, the human race and more importantly, the human heart. Lyrically, this song is carried by the verses as the chorus is simply a repeated vamp of the words, “Oh what a saviour”. It is especially progressive, as it begins as a simple piano-led poetryesque tune and builds up into an anthemic closing bridge with particularly stirring vocals and drum work. It concludes with the simple words:
Every single facet of my heart you reside…
Conceptually, the next song, ‘Reside’ flows well, both lyrically and thematically with its predecessor. This one has very strong ambient undertones and I would love to hear an instrumental version of it because I suspect it would be exceptional. That isn’t to take anything away from the vocals as the harmonies on this tune are the best of all the songs on the EP.
‘Sweet Honey - Radio Edit’, is a song that, as the title alludes to, speaks about the sweetness of God’s love. I must confess that radio edits are one of my musical pet peeves because they usually adjust the length of songs and I am never a fan. Still, that doesn’t stop this from being the most fun tune on this project with infectious whistles and an earworm of a chorus that makes it very easy to sing along to.
Finally, we have ‘Open Arms - Spring Mix’, a reinterpretation of their first single. While the original is more akin to chill indie rock, this one is stripped-down and acoustic. Both versions are great and the lyrics never fail to move me, especially the chorus:
I’ll run into your open arms
Your love is the best that I have ever known
I’m falling in love with You again
You’re all that I have ever needed
Anyone who has been here long enough will know that I am particularly passionate about new artists, bands or projects. For a group of musicians who did not exactly plan to create and release music — at least in the last five to six years — From The Ground Up sounds very experienced. This is probably because they are a family and they have been singing and creating together for a bit.
Nonetheless, recording music and releasing it is its own separate thing and I am impressed at how cohesive and eclectic this EP is, drawing influences from different genres and laying the foundations of an identifiable sound — particularly in the vocal harmonies and the interplay between the male and female tones.
At its heart Into The Good Light is an EP that uses our relationship with God and His love for us as its thematic pillars. It is a memorable introduction to a band that I hope stands the test of time because I believe there is a lot more to come from them and I can’t wait to see how the journey goes.
Genre(s): Indie Worship, Indie Fusion
Listen Here:
Spotify:
Connect with From The Ground Up
Release Date: 23rd February, 2024.
That’s it for today.
Catch you soon!
Feel free to leave a comment. Also, I am always open to hearing from you so feel free to send an email to me at stismavo@gmail.com