Dark Charms

Once, when musician Sharaya Mikael was traveling through Colorado, she heard a story about a gold miner who dug on his land for years and years. Finally, defeated, he sold the land to a man who dug only three feet before striking it rich. It's a lesson she's held with her ever since: You never know how close you are to something. It's been true for Mikael's band Banta, who have continued to find themselves on the cusp of success, knowing that perseverance will always carry them forward. The group, which formed in September 2013 after Mikael moved to Los Angeles from Nashville where she'd been pursuing a solo career, knows that a career doesn't develop overnight - and they're willing to put in the time. Banta's smooth pop folk-rock debut album Dark Charms stitches together twelve songs, each unveiling it's own narrative. Themes of relationships, love and heartbreak thread throughout the lyrics.