The trees are green once again, flowers are blooming, and the sun is out. Summer is rapidly approaching, and as the season changes so does the music. Personally, I tend to listen to darker music during the winter– not necessarily depressing music but nothing like what my summer playlists consist of. As it has warmed up, I’ve found myself gravitating back to the surfy rock, light folk, and groovy alternative sound that makes up my summer listening. There’s no feeling like driving around with the windows down listening to happy music, so obviously I’ve been in search of some new music.

As a result of this search, I discovered the three-piece band Summer Salt. Their music captures the essence of west-coast beach vibes, with soft, airy vocals and deep, calming bass lines. Their EP So Polite recently entered my daily listening rotation, and I’ve been finding it difficult to stop myself from listening to it all day. While it only comes in at 4 tracks and just over 10 minutes long, each song stands solidly on its own.

The EP opens with “Candy Wrappers,” a surfy, fun, indie rock tune. The bass riffs and vocals are irresistibly catchy, and they are guaranteed to get stuck in your head after listening for just a couple of seconds. While the song isn’t overly complex or experimental, it offers up beautiful simplicity as it is. Following this track is “So Polite,” a gentler, softer song that rotates between the ukulele and bass throughout the song. Planes and boats can be heard passing by in the background as the song rolls on, building further the carefree, summery atmosphere.

“Revvin’ My Cj7” stands out to me as the highlight of the album, and it’s impossible to not get lost in Summer Salt’s tale of running from the rat race of life in an old Jeep. The chorus of “If I can’t get into heaven / I best be revvin’ my CJ-7” has been stuck in my head for days, and I’m not complaining. The album kicks off with ‘Prickly Pear,” a short, groovy track that finishes off the the EP on a calm note. While there’s not too much substance to the short instrumental track, it does its job as a suitable send-off track.

So Polite is essential summer listening. The happiness projected by its 4 tracks is infectious and impossible to fight, and anyone who considers themselves a fan of indie rock or is looking for some fun, happy music absolutely must give it a listen.