The Best Beach Album You’re Not Listening To (and why you should be)

Most of us have vivid memories of popping in a mix tape and heading to the beach, a familiar ritual shared by a generation. Some of us can remember the songs we chose on that beach tape, but we can all remember how the music made us feel.

We’ve sought out music that will melt into the lazy days in the sun just like you remember.

Gold Under the Glow – The Hip Abduction (THA)

This terrific beach album entry is from The Hip Abduction, a six-member band from St. Petersburg, Florida, that you may have heard on 30A Radio. Influenced by Reggae and African music, their sound is both nostalgic and new at once, and they are building a loyal following, from coast to coast.

Their most recent album, ‘Gold Under the Glow,’ fits in perfectly with the beach vibe, umbrella drinks, and good times spent with friends as the sun goes down.

If you need a great beach record, you’ve found it.

We caught up with David New, lead vocals and guitar, to talk a bit about the album, the band and its influences.

What influenced the THA sound?

Artists like Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, Peter Tosh, Paul Simon, and Greggory Isaac to mention a few. We were really into old Jamaican reggae and South African music early on.

You played Red Rocks last summer, what was that like, is that the best outdoor music venue in the world?

I think we all teared up a bit during and after this show.  It’s not just a magical place, it was very pivotal for us as a band to be included in the list of amazing artists who have played there.

“Stand Up for Love” seems to make more sense today than when it was released. What was the motivation behind that song?

I think the lyrics for “Stand up for Love” have been relevant for thousands of years and will continue to be so until kindness prevails within humanity. You would think that the internet and social media would have sped up the process.

Sound you hate to hear on the beach?

Construction.

If you could be at a beach right now, where would you go?

Fiji.  Can you make that happen?

You can find Gold Under the Glow by The Hip Abduction on Spotify and iTunes, and we also play it on 30Aradio.com. Click here to listen to 30A Radio live now!