You may have noticed the band Reservoir making its mark on Eau Claire’s indie/folk scene this past year. The band, which is heavily influenced by its members’ faith, is made up of four UW-Eau Claire students and one alumnus. With Issac Redinger on vocals/guitar, Adam Terrel on electric guitar/banjo, Taylor Anderson on drums, Mattie Kahn on piano, and Holland Kabat on vocals, Reservoir comes together to create a soothing and heartfelt sound with its music. Now, the band is taking an exciting step forward by releasing its EP, titled North.

North helps to identify Reservoir as a band in several different ways. All five members had to travel north in order to come together in Eau Claire, so there are several themes of a journey within the album. “North, as well, has this mysterious of discovery of something unknown,” Issac told me. He went on to explain how their faith in God is a key element to their album, and how their music tells stories, both on an individual level and as a group, about what their lives look like as a result of that faith.

Their EP includes five melodic tracks that create a comforting sound through vocal and instrumental layers. “Landlocked” starts out with drawn-out notes on the electric guitar, picking up the pace as Issac begins singing. As it progresses, Holland adds her vocals and more instruments join in; it all leads up to a full, rounded sound.

Their lyrics have a deep and detailed quality as well. “My sandy feet, in your foamy hands,” is part of the second verse in “Landlocked,” while the following verse includes, “You gave me chills, as a doe amongst your waves.” The environmental images are creative and offer interesting insight into the bands’ personal journey. “Before We Knew Our Names” is a track that offers a very traditional folk sound while tackling some of the tougher issues they faced, such as wrestling with imperfection and running away from faith.

Reservoir became a band little over a year ago, but Issac and Taylor’s passion for music really started on the other side of the world. A couple of summers ago, they played music in China as part of a cultural immersion trip. After returning, they continued to perform and eventually started writing their own music. As time went on, Adam, Holland, and Mattie joined, not without a few switches within the band, and Reservoir was born. Since becoming a band they have performed for a variety of venues, including The Student Appreciation Series and Varsity Night Live.

North will be released on April 13, and a release show will follow at the Valleybrook Loft on April 16. The band is looking forward to the upcoming year, with plans for future shows locally and beyond. Besides a chance to promote their EP, these shows will also showcase more original content from Reservoir that they are very excited about.

For more information on Reservoir and the chance to preorder North, visit reservoirwi.bandcamp.com.