KAARST is a brand new project by Sam Haven, an artist and a storyteller of mixed mediums, most recently in the form of the harrowing musical release Sanctuary and the journal excerpts, inner monologue, imagery, poetry, and prose of his 2021 book The Art Of Leaving, alongside exhibiting oil paintings, thus taking the dark yet ethereal themes of his music and poetry into the visual form. Under a new moniker, KAARST is a novel entity born out of Haven’s familiar melancholy conveyed with ambient sounds viewed through an infectious gothic/electronic/new-wave lens, and will be a platform for both musical and visual collaborations in the live setting. The Promise is the first single from KAARST, accompanied by a brilliant, single scene music video shot and produced by Sam himself. The Prayers 7” EP is opened by the pulsating, up-tempo yet haunting track; The Circle. With a minimalist approach to production, distant synth lines dance across an industrial rhythm section of hypnotic bass and drums, providing the perfect vessel for Haven’s vocal delivery to lead the listener down a foggy path of self-reflection. Followed by the B-side’s anthemic The Promise, bringing the tempo down and exploring the darker edges of this forlorn path, while maintaining attention with dramatic hooks and crescendos. At just under 9 minutes, this debut 7” from KAARST carries immense emotional weight and provides a set and setting for further emotional outpourings.
