Shell Pink’s EP “Rogue Waves”: A Sun-Soaked Dive Into Emotional Undercurrents
Los Angeles-based artist and producer Shell Pink gives us a quietly spectacular four-song EP with Rogue Waves. The record is a delicate dance between moments when one is overwhelmed and moments when one feels thankful. Shell Pink (Josh Rheault), who is acclaimed for his rich production and retro Cali vibe, goes further into his vulnerability and comes up with tunes that look like journal entries that happened to be washed up on the shore; gentle, introspective, and full of emotional saltwater.
From the very first sound, the EP’s concept is apparent: big changes in life are like waves that hit you hard and are an absolute surprise, making you feel off-balance, but sometimes, they have the power to detoxify. Instead of using ocean imagery as a mere façade, Shell Pink immerses himself in the sea as the emotional epicenter of the project. The songs ebb and flow from atmosphere-rich indie to stripped-down electronic beats and warm alternative-pop melodies. His singing is convincing and effortless. It is the weight of a person dealing with love, identity, and the quiet moments in between collapse and breakthrough that he is able to carry.
One of the things that Rogue Waves connects with the audience is that it is sincere. The characters don’t gloss over the fact that they’re overwhelmed; even so, family, love, and the parts of oneself that one finds after coming up again are suffused through each of the songs in the form of heartfelt thanks. The music is radiant like the sun, but is in no way shallow - a good match is found in this work between gentle synths, light guitars, and a cinematic quality, which is a reflection of the West Coast that he is coming from.
Shell Pink writes an EP which has this paradoxical quality of being both personal and broad, and is a perfect choice for late-night introspection, sunrise drives, and anybody who is in the process of learning how to keep afloat. Rogue Waves are not only about emotional tides; they allow the people who listen to them to follow them.
