Take a break from monotonous country music and nostalgic 90’s songs that have inundated your summer, and dive into the classic sun-soaked stylings of modern indie surf rock. The lost genre of surf rock originated over half a century ago through pioneers like Dick Dales & His Del Tones and The Beach Boys, and now The F16s are combing the same aquatic swells that these innovators blazed but with a more calming and independent vibe. Their sound may scream SoCal, but therein lies the most glaring difference from their foundation. A mere 8,500 miles separate The F16s from surf rock’s Californian origins, as the young indie derives from the musically untapped region of Chennai, India. I suppose coastal influence is coastal influence, no matter if several thousand miles separate the shores or not.

Along with the aforementioned sub-genre, “Moon Child” sprinkles faint dream-pop nuances into it’s beachy motif. It’s initially rapid bass and percussion pair with slow note picking to emulate the ironic excitement that comes with carefree relaxation on a sandy waterfront. Even when the guitar strings slow, the bass picks right back up, thus importing the breezy bliss to every pocket of “Moon Child” in order to retain its feeling of elation. In the end, that seaside ecstasy is the meat surrounding the rare Indian bones of which “Moon Child” is built. So lay out a towel, thoroughly apply sunscreen, and aimlessly flutter across the ocean to bathe in the musical rays of Chennai.