It appears that another foreign artist has stepped foot onto the American soil of the music industry.

Australian-born James Koegh, better known as Vance Joy, has broken through onto the other side of the ocean with his debut album, Dream Your Life Away.

More notable is his single, “Riptide”, the alternative, indie folk song that is spreading like wildfire through the States.

His sound is something familiar, reminding me very much of the American band The Lumineers (“Ho Hey”) and the Iceland quintet Of Monsters and Men (“Little Talks”), so it’s no surprise that I’ve fallen absolutely head over heels for his laid back music.

With his ukulele-guitar duo, Joy is kind of like the Jason Mraz of Australia; his music is something you imagine hearing while watching the sunset behind the ocean while drinking a strawberry lemonade and rocking gently in a hammock.

His lyrics are catchy, and it makes one yearn to master the skills of ukulele playing.

Funny enough, each song on the album sounds like it is being sung by a different person. Joy’s voice is one of the most versatile that I have come across, and it’s something that I definitely appreciate.

Most of his songs are about love (the real kind, not just the physical kind) and breaking up, which leads this reviewer to think that Joy went through a recent break up. It appears, though, that Joy initiated said break up, his lyrics more relieved and optimistic than regretful or pained.

His down to earth sound is yet another breath of fresh air for my lungs, which have been full of trashy, annoying smoke consisting of swallow artists lately.

I, for one, cannot wait to see what else this Aussie has in store for his fans. And I may or may not invest in a ukulele.