Oakland-based Asha Wells has a way of slowly pulling you into their world, and “Jacob Sheep” is a perfect example. It’s a haunting single from their upcoming LP, “Sleeping Sand,” and from the first few seconds, you feel like you’ve wandered into a dream.
The song opens with an ethereal, music box-like melody that sounds dreamlike and tense from the first note. Wells’ vocals come in almost like a trance, trippy and soaked in just enough reverb to feel like they’re floating.
The drums carry a jazz sensibility, with congas, sticks, and rim hits, which gives the arrangement a more artistic and classical feel, combined with a catchy bassline that glues everything together like an old school groove.
“Spreading all my memories among the branches of the trees, I lost myself, ill forgotten injuries evolving over centuries, I was unwell” paints a haunting imagery that captures the song’s unsettling nature.
The sound design shows real attention to detail. The song feels elegant and dreamy, with an engineering approach reminiscent of classic recordings. The vocals have a distinct live performance texture, while the instrumentals sound full and clean, with every element given room to breathe.
“Jacob Sheep” is a genuinely good song that stirs up emotion through its arrangement, atmosphere, and subtle tension. It leaves you wanting more from Asha Wells, and we look forward to hearing what they bring to their upcoming project, “Sleeping Sand.”
Written by Toyo Senpai
