Rachael Sage & Poetica bring effortless solidarity with Unconditional
14 December 2021
Newsdesk
“When a friend whose heart is breaking tells you they love you, it means so much more,” whispers Rachael Sage on the opening track to Poetica’s debut album. Being the side project of the indie alt folk darling, Poetica is the equivalent of Sage’s creative playground, or a fancy dress box, from which she can draw a variety of different costumes and emotions to try them on for size. ‘Unconditional’, the latest single and first video from the album, is no exception.
Sage moves serenely around an attic room strewn with petals and paper in a refreshingly rustic scene. As this side project is predominantly spoken word, Sage’s performance skills will be tested. Lyrics are very different to perform than words alone, and so the majority of the video passed without any lip syncing.
When Sage chooses to mouth along to her poem, it’s with a quiet sense of confidence that she does so. The instrumentation is often sparse, but as it swells towards the climax of the song, it’s clear that the (many, varied and accomplished) musicians in her backing band are there in a comradery sense, one which sees this side project through.
It’s a feat of communication and solidarity; during a time where coming together was so hard for so many, Rachael Sage and co have managed to do so through song.
