After a year of tribulations, Nate Salman of Waterstrider, poured heavy energies into his newest EP, The Way Out, on 30th Century Records. The result is a warlockian, mesmerizing blend of songs that have the surreal quality of our beloved Enya but with a Julien Ehrlich falsetto and dark, poppy synths. The single “Breed” is melancholy but hopeful. Lines like “Farewell to secrets/I’ll never keep them” are sung with a pure earnestness and are serenaded by keys with an airy, forestlike quality. This experimental, futuristic collection brings Waterstrider into a new realm. -Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor