An already accomplished violinist, playing in the National Youth Orchestra for Scotland, and taking her solo career as a singer songwriter to many well-known venues and events such as Celtic Connections, The Tide is the new EP release from Rhona MacFarlane.
‘Golden Leaves’ glitters like the autumn rising sun, the melodies sweep like a soft breeze, raising the hairs on the back of your neck.
Softly floating “like a boat on silent water” you are transported away from whatever grey mundane existence you find yourself in, to a world of beautiful beats and scintillating vocals.
‘Brother’ is similarly enchanting but much more definitive, communicating life lessons and wise words; the force of the message is filled out by accompanying strings that deliver atmospheric electricity, transmitting resonance that envelops your imagination.
It’s a heartfelt exposition of shared experience and guiding principles.
‘The Tide’, both the plugged and unplugged versions, round off the EP with a slight air of grandeur, encapsulated by tribal like beats, MacFarlane’s vocals are spellbinding.
In the acoustic version, her vocal ability is exposed: in its bareness, the track takes on a new vulnerability with a greater edge of sadness than its predecessor.
The vibrato in the vocals conveys a sense of expertise and worldliness, rounding off this four-track release.
Words: Rachel Cunningham
