Following previous releases Giant and A Tale of Sailors comes Rain, from the Bristol 5-piece Heg & the Wolf Chorus. This last installment in their trilogy of mini releases feels less overtly story-based, focusing more on building mood.
Featuring three atmospheric tracks, this EP is at times reminiscent of Clannad, especially in the strength and depth of their vocal harmonies.
Song for Home is a strong opener, setting out a rich vocal arrangement peppered with grace notes and complemented by sparse instrumentation.
Tone shifts and lifts for Rain, which is more upbeat. The melody is piano-driven with accents of violin, and harmonies at times swirling around the main vocal line, at times adding gentle rhythm.
Sail On is the final track and is the most ballad-y of the three tracks, seamlessly blending changes in tempo. The main vocal glides, and again mellifluous harmonies wrap around it.
This is a strong EP, which gets better with each listen and I'll be looking out for their debut album, planned for release in 2016.
Rain is released 13th April and while their spring tour is over, they are playing a number of festivals this summer. Check their website for details.
Gráinne
@grainne4u
