Boca's Sea and Space Will Play Debut Album at Funky Biscuit

The Journey is not just the name of the debut album by Boca Raton dream folk four-piece Sea and Space, it is also a description of how the quartet came together. Before rehearsals the four members spoke to New Times about their origins began.

“There’s an age disparity between us,” explained drummer Michael Nasti. Nasti and guitarist Russ Gazanna have known each other the longest. “Russ and I have been working together since 1994. We judged a high school battle of the bands about ten years ago. Some other kids won at the end, but Russ and I were fighting for another group.”

The leader of that group they were fighting for was Emily Carroll, a Westminster Academy student at the time. Carroll continued to play music in the years after graduation, but it wasn’t until January 2013 that she sought out her one time judges and formed Sea and Space.

After adding bassist Philip Duvallsaint, Sea and Space began preproduction on The Journey almost right away when inspiration struck during an early morning trip to the beach, Carroll remembers. “I was watching the sun rise and all of a sudden, after a four year writing block, I frantically wrote down lyrics and concepts. I had a dream of this sea and space hieroglyphic language which we then used on the album cover.”
The album has a Tangerine Dream, new-age esthetic. Carroll’s voice flirts with a Joan Baez yodel. The band members all came from different influences, from classical to jazz to hip hop to the dream pop of Sigur Rós.

“The album goes from morning to night as it floats into space,” said Carroll. Carroll is confident in their music, seemingly unfazed by the fact that the second track of Sea and Space's new album is called “Here Comes the Sun” even though it's not a cover, which is kind of like a young writer titling his debut novel A Catcher in the Rye. But Carroll insists, “The last thing I had in my mind was The Beatles. When we were done recording the other guys were like you can’t keep that name as the title.”

Ignoring that advice, Sea and Space will celebrate the completion of its album by performing March 25 at 8 p.m. at the Funky Biscuit. They’ll be playing some new songs, but The Journey will be the central focus of the night. The band plans to alternate between acoustic and electric during the set.

“We’re playing the album from start to finish. It will be only the second time ever we’ll try to duplicate it live. It’s funny, the first time was also at the Funky Biscuit.” And so that is where the Journey will continue. 

Follow Sea and Space on Facebook and Twitter, and see them perform live on Wednesday, March 25, at 8 p.m. at the Funky Biscuit, located at Royal Palm Place, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. The show is 21 and over, and tickets cost $10 - $20; $15 the day of the show. Visit ticketfly.com to purchase tickets.