Siddhartha would love California – most importantly, the chaparral. The dense vegetation that catches fire every year, because even though it’s all destroyed, the ground becomes rich with sulfur and life springs eternal.
Herman Hesse had his Siddhartha view the world as so: if you have enough time to wait, to think and to fast, then most solutions will become obvious.
And so Wait. Think. Fast. the band, not the mantra, are now releasing their first LP Luces Del Sur, which encompasses all the romantic, melancholy expressions of bluesy vocals, meshing with the aesthetic of indie rock and finally careening back to an empty street in the middle of the night. Singer/keyboardist Jacqueline Santillan has a smoky voice at her arsenal, with her husband Matthew Beighley and drummer Thomas King also in the band. There are moments when the modern takes over and things get pop-like and fun, (Si Es Por Amor) there are other times when Argentinean born Santillan sings in Spanish, her intonations confessional and quick (Leymah Contra Los Diablos).
The chaparral in Los Angeles is so dense and we’ve all become accustomed to the orange glow that comes with the fire season – On their 2009 EP, Vuelve Al Mar, Wait. Think. Fast. have a track titled “Cien Fuegos” and the chorus goes:
“Este lugar me quiere enloquecer, me quiere enloquecer/ Por lo visto”
Translation -
“This place wants me crazy, I want to be crazy/ Apparently” and so the only solution, Siddhartha would say, well, you know that already.
