My Review: Jo Beth - Breakers In The Wave

 Joth Beth - Breakers In The Wave

Review by 

Alex Dematteis (Musicshockworld)

Salford

November 13 2026

Time and place are the inhabitants of that complex game called meaning, in which everything moves forward, passes, drags on, changes, following a path that lasts for an infinite duration until death encloses them in the void…

There are various ways of understanding where one might intervene to alter the course of events, but the only approach that can have any effect is an understanding of one’s own self, free from any pressing need to absolve oneself a priori.

And the artistic act of which I speak is the perfect synthesis of that experience: the need to acknowledge one’s bewilderment in the face of change, to realise that one’s strength has waned, to know that in freedom one renounces oneself far more than one ever imagined.  The English composer is back, and she’s done so in a surprising way: no, there’s no shortage of beauty and quality, but she also offers striking shifts, starting with the music itself, which is more dreamlike, with enveloping sounds that resemble the whispers of her beloved nature – which has undoubtedly proved to be the muse behind these compositions. Blending ancient echoes with subtle electronic elements, they create a truly impressive link.  Her voice and singing style form the heartbeat of a lyric that takes stock, with the renewal of an openness that has been called into question, and with the inevitable need for an X-ray to assess the quality of one’s own existence. A rare example of how personal and artistic lives can – and must – sometimes coexist, in a sweeping embrace that elevates the whole. The track conveys the impetus of a force that is never disruptive or devastating, but rather a rarefaction of evil, pain and sin – a benevolent acid that dissolves only these adversities, for the fair-haired fairy never forsakes the positive side; her glass of red is always full, and listening to this new composition is like tasting that wine from her lips.  One is intoxicated by dancing dreams, by realities which, however complex, allow for breaths filled with gravitational currents that lead the soul just a stone’s throw from the sky…

It begins with the breath of the chorus, before moving into the first verse, with lyrics that immediately draw us into their elegance, surrounded by an ambient modulation, the suspended rhythm, the reverberation of the voice accompanied by another in a higher register, and then we find ourselves caught up in this endless cycle of a siren playing with the pauses, like the recitation of a prayer – never mechanical, yet with remarkable dynamic drive.  Everything is imbued with a sense of lightness, almost like an oxymoron meant to embody the journey of a life in need of a fresh start, of a renewal of convictions.

Jo Beth manages to do things divinely, without a hitch, with the grace of someone who knows that this song is a series of truths stuck to the mirror of her own soul…

‘Breakers In The Wave’ is an electronic impulse embedded within a human drive that governs its meaning and direction, with a clear (certainly unintended) propensity for radio-friendly appeal, given its ability to offer a catchiness that can lighten the listening experience.  A sonic cradle, like an anaesthetic needed to lull the listener without, however, robbing them of their free will – and it is precisely here that the artistic success of this track is revealed. Whether the audience then makes it stand out is another matter.

The careful attention paid to both the sound and the vocals is the first clear sign of this artist’s professionalism; she holds her fans in the highest regard: in this generous modern work, nothing of her distinctive style has been lost, and it is a joy that remains clear and pure…

The single will be released on music streaming platforms on 14 November

Here is the link to his Bandcamp page, where the single will be added tomorrow:

https://jobethyoung.bandcamp.com/music

Official site:

https://www.jobethyoung.com/