After a high-energy start to the year, bolstered by widespread critical acclaim for their previous singles, The Sea At Midnight are building momentum once again with the release of their powerful new EP, Burning.
Crafted by Los Angeles-based artist Vince Grant, the project continues his mission of pairing brooding post-punk soundscapes with lyrics steeped in meaning and urgency. This latest release sees Grant take a bold step forward, using music as a vehicle to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: climate change.
Across five tracks—including the previously released Midnight Sun and Chopping Them Down—Burning delivers a compelling mix of personal reflection and ecological alarm. Its tone is somber yet urgent, echoing with the tension of a planet in peril. Through stark, poetic lyricism and haunting melodies, the EP becomes both a cry for help and a mirror held up to humanity’s environmental failings.
“Climate change and its devastating consequences have weighed on my mind for years, and over time, it has naturally found its way into my songwriting. I may not live to see its worst effects, but I worry for future generations and what they’ll be forced to endure.”
Discussing the crisis, he explains, “Living in Los Angeles, I’ve had a front-row seat to what the future could hold—severe and prolonged droughts, record-breaking heat, and catastrophic wildfires. And it’s not just here. It seems like every day brings another climate-related disaster: monstrous hurricanes, raging wildfires, devastating floods, tornadoes with hurricane-force winds—the list goes on.
Denial is a powerful drug, but I’m still stunned by the sheer mental gymnastics it must take to ignore the crisis we’ve created. Even with overwhelming evidence, we still lack the will—or the concern—to slam the brakes before we drive straight off the cliff. And to make it worse, we keep doubling down on destruction. Deforestation, for example, isn’t just reckless; it’s suicidal. Either that, or it’s a giant middle finger to Mother Nature – not that she cares.”
Originally emerging onto the scene in 2020 with a self-titled debut album, The Sea At Midnight has steadily carved out a space where introspective alternative rock meets the raw edge of post-punk. Grant’s ability to merge thought-provoking commentary with emotionally rich songwriting has drawn continued attention—and Burning only deepens that impact.
