Lauren Ray

Lauren Ray makes a well-crafted return on EP Inside This Silence.

Despite, only being four tracks long, Inside This Silence proves to be a rewarding showcase of its artist’s talents. During the short session the record takes on themes of, grief, passion, perseverance, and love.

The seductive ‘Be a Man’ opens proceedings with a provocative singer invitingly offering:
“if you really want me, really want me, just be a man, be a man, be a man about it”.
The track plays with the ingrained idea of what it is to be male. Rather than masculine strength the song calls for openness and honesty for the relationship to succeed.

The EP strikes a nice balance between dealing with some emotional subject matter, while maintaining a sense of, strength, optimism, and just the right melodic tone to match.

The tender ‘Dull Ache’ finds the singer alone with her thoughts and struck by memories of a late loved one. The song does well to capture the pain of grief. The gradual healing, and the bittersweet thoughts that hit when you're left to your own mind. Although the sorrow is evident Ray’s vocals carry with them power and presence.

Though not quite as compelling as the top half. the back end of ‘Upstream’ and ‘Black Wings’ more than hold their own. Written about making the best of life and the struggles of making it into the music industry, they both prove to be a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.

Produced by Mark Smith, the project keeps things melodically simple with a largely unplugged set up. Every song feels warm and energized even within the most sombre moments.

Overall, Inside This Silence is a short but sweet ride.