Breathing Under Water is the captivating debut album from Start Forward, the project of Miami-based multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter Joshua Sturtevant. The project’s immersive sound draws from ’90s alt-rock staples like Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, and beyond — acts that Sturtevant grew up with. The album melds memorable rock productions with relatable lyrical introspection, capturing a sense of “being overwhelmed and needing to surrender in order to move forward,” per Sturtevant, who based the album title on a poem he read during a time of personal tumult.
The opening title track aptly exudes a meditative, atmospheric rock charm — blissful and aquatic-feeling in its glistening guitars and gentle percussive steadiness. “Breathing Under Water” then shifts into a more distortion-laden ardor at its conclusion, readying for the subsequent rock invigoration of “Glorious.” There, lyrical laments of “losing everything” and a sense of surrender build into a gorgeous “it’s glorious!” outpouring, fusing effervescent allure with powerful alt-rock passion. Breathing Under Water kicks off with an enveloping one-two punch, showcasing both dreamy atmospheric intrigue and fervent, heart-on-sleeve intensity. “Another Late Night” also enthralls — appealing in its effect-touched vocals and peppy guitar pulses.
Another standout track, “Tightrope” infuses prancing piano lushness and sturdy guitar clanging with an anthemic vocal exhilaration — reminding fondly of My Morning Jacket’s vocal power and high-flying rock heights, especially upon the “only thing you need is time” vocal excelling. The guitar work that follows is gripping, parts Teenage Fanclub and Pink Floyd in its mixture of power-pop approachability and heady, psychedelic momentum. The subsequent “Rapture of the Deep” succeeds in another atmospheric realm entirely, strutting the project’s eclectic range with a brass-touched, late-night stylishness.
Also a memorable display of the project’s range, the masterful “Realize” traverses from acoustic-set ruminations into synth-y serenity and then bursts of blaring alt-rock emotion. The later addition of strings and twinkling keys lends a gorgeous orchestral quality, emitting a final minute that serves as one of the album’s finest moments. Finale “Next Time (Kaiya Reprise)” smoothly continues the orchestral-touched rock sound — intertwining soaring guitars and elegant strings, for a beautiful send-off to Breathing Under Water, a thoroughly fantastic debut album from Start Forward.
