Tarita – Summer Fling (Single Review)

The fresh new single by Tarita is finally here after an almost 20-year wait; a welcome surprise that will leave listeners gratefully savouring ‘Summer Fling’s leisurely and laid-back vibes.

Juggling music with a career as a scientist, the multi-talented artist Tarita, who hails from the UK and Poland, spent her early 20s performing improvised cover music in a multitude of bands. Now after a long hiatus Tarita sounds comfortable and free on her new record, having translated her passions for songwriting and performing into an easy-listening staple that shines in both its arrangement and lyricism.

The song ‘Summer Fling’ is a lovingly curated acoustic-led ballad realistically exploring the excitement and heat of a relationship began on vacation. There is a definite sense of yearning in the latter half of this track, as Tarita longs for those precious memories once made to be relived with her now unavailable and physically distant partner. It’s a wonderfully sensitive depiction of the types of joy and conflict that arise from these holiday romances, which the song delivers with a nostalgia-tinged poignancy.

The song commences with a chill acoustic guitar melody over the top of a slow drum beat and subtly groovy bass line. It isn’t long before Tarita’s smoothly euphonious vocals meld with these instruments, and immediately gift the track a warm charm that helps to create and raw and genuinely emotional edge to the song. The opening lyrics draw bittersweet comparisons between the start of a holiday romance and a swiftly unexpected change in the weather (“You showed up like rain on a sunny afternoon”); Tarita’s sweetly mature voice lingering on the words as if reminiscing on the fondness of memory.

This sentiment continues as Tarita croons “You showed up like an uninvited guest, knocking on my door”. Not only do the lyrics truthfully speak of the rush of emotions and adrenaline in the midst of a whirlwind love that can be heightened by the dreamy settings of vacation, but also the carefree mood and loss of inhibitions that comes with throwing yourself into a new experience. No matter how much she may want to forget, Tarita sings of the need to relive those emotions again as she pleas “Never thought I’d say, rain on me today”.

The instrumentation of ‘Summer Fling’ additionally helps to craft the amorous and tranquil setting for the song as well as mimic the singer’s positive and hopeful headspace in the throes of the relationship. With a steady, restful tempo resounding throughout the track and the singer’s light and breezy vocal performance enveloping the song in a warming haze, ‘Summer Fling’ is sure to provide the perfect soundtrack to a trip abroad or a lazy afternoon.

The song’s serene vibes are boosted by an acoustic guitar solo that weaves an extra edge of skilfulness into the track without disturbing its established easy-listening tone. With the song being recorded in Poland, Tarita enlisted the help of guest musicians Marcin Bukowski, Marcin Julius, and Carlos Bautista, throwing listeners back to the time of Tarita’s venture into live music with various bands. Not only does this allow listeners to reminisce about the artist’s humble beginnings, but the collaboration adds a new element of emotion to this record, particularly being the singer’s return to music after a long break.

The song gradually fades out to Tarita airing her lingering regrets about losing touch with the object of her affections. “Bring back my sunny day” she mournfully sings, subtle hints of desperation and longing evident in the mellow textures of her vocals. The closing line “Rain on me today” is affecting both in its delivery and meaning; an incessant desire for someone, sometimes that may never again be attained.

Score/Excellent: Just as the love of a holiday romance can be fleeting but above all powerful and all-consuming, the poignant air of ‘Summer Fling’ seems to leave behind a lilting sense of sensitivity and perhaps even hope for the future. Listeners can either ruminate on a lost love or dream up a future one alongside the song’s gentle ambience. After 2 decades of absence, Tarita re-enters the music industry like a breath of fresh air and thrills in her ability to evoke nostalgia for a time, or a person, gone by.

[We rank albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

Follow Tarita On Instagram