Charmas has an intimate connection with the ocean, simply from residing in Santa Cruz, California. Some of the band's musicians surf or sail, but the roots of its sea music stretch much farther across the water. Lead vocalist/flutist Aaron Clegg grew up attending weekly singing sessions at The Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he recalls being "steeped" in that region's maritime traditions. Lead vocalist/guitarist Phil Johnston spent a previous decade performing traditional music from the Celtic Islands with an Irish-American touring band. Bagpiper/fiddler Elise MacGregor Ferrell still spends her summers in Kincardine, Canada, where some say it's "more Scottish than Scotland," and the Great Lakes' stormy moods can sink giant ships. Charmas always encourages its live audiences to dance and sing, so it came naturally for the band to start performing sea music, which originated from group-singing traditions. Charmas hopes that "Songs of the Sea" will inspire modern people to sing along in their cars, in the shower, or seek out chantey-sings in their own communities. But this album is about more than just singing. It also includes evocative "water music,." starting with an empowering slow aire on Great Highland Bagpipes, and from there expanding its instrumentation to include mixtures of Celtic wooden flute, low whistle, fiddle, guitar, bass, drums, and other percussion instruments. Co-producer Emmanuel Selassie calls Songs of the Sea a "concept album," because its thoughtfully sequenced songs create a narrative story about sailors living on the ocean, having perilous adventures, and bidding farewell when the ocean finally overtakes them. All of this sea music is intended to appeal to modern audiences, while still retaining its historical authenticity