The Music and Planet Project

Green Tide by Second Ascension is a nine-minute epic psych rock joy ride. While that in itself should be enough to draw you in for a listen, allow me to elaborate on some of the notable elements of the song that make this music stand out.

At nearly 9 minutes, the track poses an immediate question to the first-time listener – will this be worth my time? In today’s pop and rock music landscape where the expectation is 3 and 4 minute songs – and where content is infinitely available through streaming services – devoting 9 minutes of listening time to just one song is no small feat (for better or worse). I can safely say that the composition truly fills the 9 minutes with engaging and exciting content. What starts as a simple two-chord progression evolves and expands slowly into a melodic jam full of wild guitars and synths, cathartic vocal lines, and unexpected textures that keep the listener on their toes. What truly stands out most here, though, is that the song manages to evolve and take us through various moods, emotions, and sonic elements without ever straying too far from the original vibe. In the final minute and a half, the artist returns to the original chord progression, and it doesn’t feel out of place at all. All of the diversions manage to stay within a cohesive composition that keeps the listener engaged for – you guessed it – a full 9 minutes. 

I could comment on each of the various sections of the song, each of the complex musical choices, but not only would that take several pages of writing, it would also spoil the experience. Deserving of a proper listen, the track is like a massive tapestry, weaving together a thousand different colors and textures into a unified whole. From acoustic sounds to funky synth to 80s guitar effects to smooth bass to Bowie-esque vocals, there is a great deal to dig into here. Heck, you might even find it refreshing to devote your attention to something longer than 3 minutes for once. 

Kudos go to Second Ascension for boldly going forth with this colossal undertaking of musical experimentation. Stream the song here and keep up to date with Second Ascension’s other music here.