Rhiannon Hope: All Things, Returning and Rising
(Private Regcords)
Vinyl | Digital
Available 25 September
This debut EP excels on as many subgenres as tracks – including drone, folk-pop and freak-folk. Tracks that are musically and personally exploratory, and, with traditional instrumentation, vivid production, and fluid songwriting, have all the intrigue of an impromptu folk night.
Rhiannon Hope is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Liverpool who has become ingrained within Leeds’s renowned scene; a fitting place for a musician with similarities to fellow folkies Green Gardens. Hope’s variety is light in its galvanising timbre but dense in its emotional depth, as on the opening title track. Vibrato and accordion sigh alternately in concertina-like waves, mirroring the titular lyric. Starting with quiet, vocals that falter with authentic drama, the performance culminates in full-bodied blows. It’s a striking beginning, as the only one to avoid freak-folk categorisation – instead verging towards the minimalist folk of Joanna Newsom.
B.B. is more immediate, but its This Is The Kit earthiness is still steered by the mood-based ebbs and flows of Hope’s voice. Hovering between the polished vibrato, and a looser delivery from a sonically lower, emotionally more bruised area, the slippery vocal movement is offset by the repeated banjo melody. This direction also alludes to the singer-songwriter’s preference for tangibility, whether in sound or DIY EP covers. Again, Indulge shows how Hope prioritises a feeling of liveness, with each part urgent, close and intimate in the mix. As well as the entire project being recorded live, the songwriting recreates the well-crafted highs and lows of a live set, where the ascendant banjo tempo, muted outro of B.B., leads naturally into Indulge’s overwhelming, string-topped swells. The acoustic instrumentation is as brisk and melancholic as the breeze she sagely sings of; with the buzz of the shuffling guitar and impatient plucks, the countrified track suggests resistance towards the winds of change.
With these charismatic imperfections, and an element of unpredictability in her songwriting, the EP draws unwavering attention.
Find copies of Rhiannon Hope’s debut EP here.
Follow her on social media.
~
Words by James Kilkenny. Read more of his Louder Than War articles.
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
Leave a Reply