UK musician Charles Costa, formerly known as King Charles, is fresh off running the PCT, or the entire length of the United States from Canada to Mexico to raise awareness and money for mental health. Shutting the door on the King Charles moniker, Costa is back under his given name, Charles Costa, with new music tied to his experiences of running and overcoming mental health struggles.
“When the War Was Starting” is a folk-influenced alternative rock track that features relatively grand production with layered vocals, violin accompaniment throughout, keyboards, and electronic elements. The lyrics and sonic elements of the song are reminiscent of alternative Christian music. Costa opens with meeting someone or something by fate, then launches into the heavily repeated chorus, “When the war was starting and the world was shaking / You came out of the stone from the middle of the water / and the heavens will sing your name.”
Seemingly not an openly religious person, Costa leans into a spirituality that he may have found on his athletic undertaking. The resulting track, “When the War Was Starting,” is something that I would expect to hear in a modern Christian, non-denominational church with a hip electronic indie band to sing along to.
Charles Costa’s self-titled album is out now on all platforms.
