Intellect and music, most generally, have always gone hand in hand. Those who question the status quo have advanced the musical world. In some rare cases they leave you with an enthusiastic evolutionary mentality. A lot of times they leave you in a confused mediocrity. Regardless of which side the coin lands, for the most part they speak their peace and carry on; leaving their message with a niche audience.

The North Carolina quartet Senseless Beatings are speaking their piece and lightening the load from their first LP. Their self-proclaimed and romantically vexed interpretations they bleed into their music are evident from the beginning. An interpretation like this doesn’t come along often. It is as if Ian Anderson and Cat Stevens had a hand in creating this lucid dream of indie flute driven progressive folk.

Their second album, We Will Walk into the Sea, opens the doors to imagination and exudes their sound with clean execution. The lead track “Toppling Tower” immerses you into the realm of Senseless Beatings. It is a realm where deeply layered music and finely balanced vocals find solace. The balance found between the shared singing of Chase Brown and Jesse Powers lends itself to the core sound that allows Senseless Beatings from becoming just another deep vocal band. Just when you think you’re being drawn down an avenue of one sound, they spin it into a fascinating changeup. Instrumentally they weave an intriguing web that only gets better with each listen. Accompanying the harmonious vocals, the bass played out by Thomas Alverson rides tightly to Ian Lee’s drums keeping the sound fluid and almost seamless. Combined, the hopeless romantic theme protrudes out of each track. The title track pours out “My fluttering heart explodes out of time and into your arms.” As a whole, the album plays to an almost religious undertone lyrically but upon closer look it is a religion of love and identity. This progressive jazz/folk sound is one for the refined palate.

Not upbeat nor overly enticing on the surface, We Will Walk into the Sea plays out an imaginative sound over their eight tracks. Their sound is one of unique interpretation and delivery. This is one for the jazz fans, I haven’t heard this much provoking flute in a long time.