Basilica (label)
13 February 2016 (released)
13 March 2016
A fascinating collaboration this. Rachel Harvey is a vocalist with a wonderful dusky and emotive contralto and she is matched by songwriter & producer Paul Kirkpatrick to create some expansive and densely observed soundscapes.
The music is multi-layered and there is a dark edge to the beats as they come up against jarring guitar parts, all this surrounding the vocals which soar and swoop but which have a little girl quality underpinning them.
The songs look at the edge cases, the point where madness and brilliance meet and cross over and time and gain they draw you in to an internal discussion of the point of genius – this is al disquieting but very, very good.
The title track is wonderful. A drawn out piano ballad with subtle electronica and Harvey’s vocals just chilling – once more exploring that point where you have to make a value decision on a subject where value has no point.
It isn’t an album for casual listening or for background – my first attempt at listening in the car was almost disastrous – but it is a brilliant album.
