(February 3, 2025) The documentary “Yacht Rock” took the SoulTrackers who watched it back to a favorite musical era. Watching the film got me thinking about what contemporary songs could fall into the Yacht Rock (or Yacht Soul) category. Then I heard “Let Us Be,” the new single and title track from Vladimir Cetkar, and I realized that a contemporary Yacht Rock cut had been deposited into my email by our fearless leader.
“Let Us Be” has all the elements for a Yacht Rock song. The arrangement is both laid back and lush with a foundation of a mid-tempo and lightly funky bass line that bears the weight of strings and jazzy improvisation on the keyboards, as well as the guitar.
Lyrically, “Let Us Be” is a song that takes its listeners to a place where we have all been with someone that we know and love. That place may be different for each of us. What’s similar is that once we arrive at this special place, we want the world and its cares to “let us be.”
Check out Vladimir Cetkar’s “Let Us Be” here, and smooth sailing.
By Howard Dukes