Hallmarked by Hollie’s seductive, dreamy vocals and a succession of memorably soaring choruses, all of it etched with Keith’s vivid, glinting keyboards, towering guitars and miscellaneous instrumental hooks, Mint Julep make lustrous modern pop music that is wistful and mellifluous yet simultaneously powerful, even epic – equal parts shoegazing romanticism and cool, Kraftwerkian polish. Their songs seem instantly familiar, like old musical friends, a ’classicism’ offset by the freshness and luminosity they exude as they usher you on a breathless ride through the sunlit uplands of electronic indie-rock.
Mint Julep was designed as a conscious departure from Keith’s previous, ambient- orientated projects. “When Hollie and I set out to do something, I wanted to find some way to incorporate her vocals into a slightly different style, rather than just write similar material to my solo work and lay her vocals over top”, he says. “I had the need to write something that had some distorted guitars, loud drums and was a little bolder than what I had previously done. We messed around with a track one night (which became ‘Stay’) and it was a fun process, so we just kept writing more songs so we could do a project together.”
Soon a working pattern emerged, with Keith composing music around Hollie’s lyrics or making tracks which Hollie would then add to. “It just developed after a lot of trial and error, and after a while the material started to plateau and began to sound like an album…”
A Pennsylvannian by birth, Keith Kenniff is an honours graduate of Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music, best known as the brains behind dulcet ambient/electronic practitioners Helios and the fingers on the ivories of post-classical piano minimalists Goldmund (the latter’s music once described by no less an authority than Ryuichi Sakamoto as “…so, so, so beautiful…”). A succession of albums under those aliases has made Kenniff the darling of discerning critics and his music has also been widely used in film, television and advertising, not least on the soundtrack to Harmony Korine’s 2007 comedy-drama Mister Lonely and the trailer for the 2009 Academy Award-nominated Revolutionary Road, directed by Sam Mendes.
Originally from Ohio, singer Hollie Kenniff maintains dual US/Canadian citizenship, having spent part of her life in Ontario. Aside from Mint Julep, she has collaborated on several additional musical endeavors in tandem with husband Keith, including a children’s music project, Meadows, (inspired by the couple’s young son), whose debut longplayer was recently released, and an ambient diversion under their own names.
www.mintjulepmusic.com
Mint Julep on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mintjulepmusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/_MintJulep
Other projects by Keith Kenniff: Helios and Goldmund.
To the Sea
Mint Julep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
go all the way
to the sun, to the sun
we can drive
to the sea
and be free, and be free
to the sea
take me to the sea
we'll leave the scene
we'll leave the lights and crowds
behind us, behind us
pull out the stakes
and feel the wind in your face
make your mind up
make your mind up
take me, take me
to the sea
take me to the sea
we're running down
always around
keep looking out
keep looking out
leave it behind
follow the signs
to remind us
to remind us
take me, take me
to the sea
take me to the sea
The song "To The Sea" by Mint Julep is about the desire to escape from the chaos of everyday life and find solace in the peacefulness of nature. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer and their companion flying away to the sun, or driving to the sea, as a way to leave behind the noise and crowds of the city and feel free. The chorus urges the listener to take them to the sea, symbolizing the ocean as a place of tranquility and escape.
Throughout the song, the lyrics highlight the importance of leaving behind the stress of life and finding freedom in isolation. The phrase "make your mind up" suggests that a decision must be made to leave the negativity behind and embrace the beauty of nature. The repeated use of "take me to the sea" reinforces the longing for peace and freedom.
The song's up-tempo beat and smooth electronic sound further emphasize the theme of escape and the concept of leaving behind stress and anxiety. The song encourages listeners to break away from daily life and find solace in nature, reminding us that there is beauty and peace in simplicity.
Line by Line Meaning
we fly away
We escape from our current situation
go all the way
We commit fully to our escape
to the sun, to the sun
Our destination is brightness and warmth
we can drive
We have the power to move forward
to the sea
Our escape is to the open water
and be free, and be free
Only in this escape can we truly be free
take me, take me
We long for this escape and request it wholeheartedly
we'll leave the scene
We abandon our current setting
we'll leave the lights and crowds
We leave behind the bustling and distracting world
behind us, behind us
We move away from our past surroundings
pull out the stakes
We detach from our current situation
and feel the wind in your face
We connect with our physical environment
make your mind up
We determine our future path
we're running down
We move quickly away from our old life
always around
We are constantly moving and seeking out new experiences
keep looking out
We stay alert and focused
leave it behind
We distance ourselves from our past
follow the signs
We make decisions based on what we believe is the right path
to remind us
We receive guidance from the world around us
take me, take me
Our desire for freedom and escape remains strong
to the sea
Our ultimate destination is the open water
take me to the sea
We long for the freedom and escape that only the open water can bring
Contributed by William P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@valeraxcx16
Omg ive been looking for this song for so long and i finally remembered the title ! 😂 I used to work at Topshop in 2012 and songs like these were always played there. I've been a fan ever since. So nostalgic
@patiaurelio
Time flies! its been 8 years.
@MrLiamPhoenix
9 years :)
@Howtolaif
@@MrLiamPhoenix 10 :)
@Arugalas
The effect is called Parallax, which like 1337Creations and x300Luis (i think) said, is when you have two cameras set close together and alternate the them with every other frame. Like alternating angles slightly. You can do the same thing if you look at anything and just alternate closing one eye quickly. And it's not really 3D, just depth perception your brain is picking up. Similar though.
@Andtheskywasfalling
I was showed this video months ago and I'm STILL obsessing over it. That film style is something I've never seen before (if I have it wasn't good enough bec I don't remember it). I love this band, they are truly one of my fav artists now.
@danisteffen302
//smbdy correct me if I'm wrong
Most scenes were probably shot on a camera like the Nishika N8000 taking 4 pictures simultaneously using 4 lenses resulting in that unique wiggly shot. Also called a wigglegram :)
@blearmoon
Finally some GOOD music video.
@wardrobeofexcuses
omg this is one of the best music videos I've ever seen. cool books and the videoing is so original. I love it!
@michaelg2502
Still as great as i remember!