Cayucas b/w Swimsuit

No one knows summer like Santa Monica’s Zach Yudin, a man of leisure who recognizes “the epic” in something as simple as a twilight bicycle ride or a short drive up the coast. As Cayucas, Yudin has set about creating an impressionistic portrait of summer’s long, bittersweet dazzle.

An avid bird-watcher, Yudin majored in both Music Theory/Production and Japanese. He spent a post-grad year living and teaching in Tokyo, then taking the past couple of years to hone the sound of Cayucas. He posted a couple of songs online, picking up a lot of love and attention, but it was only when he entered the studio with producer/multi-instrumentalist Richard Swift last year that Cayucas was truly defined — sun-inspired jams that touch upon The Animals, Harry Belafonte and the surfer-folk mysticism of the Northwest.

Timeless and seriously addictive, the title track “Cayucos” gives a nod to 60’s beach blanket pop gems and bonfire folk songs, but with sharp, modern bottom end that cuts right through the breeze. It’s flip side, “Swimsuit,” continues to carry the torch, with its cocktail-lounge organ flourishes painting a picture of carefree days spent pining for young summer love. Just a hint of the party that’s still to come with a full-length in 2013, Cayucas offers us a spiritual holiday and a refreshing nostalgia colada.