The Blackpool songstress is back with ‘Someone Out There’ the follow up to her successful début ‘Unguarded’ (2015).
I have been following Rae’s career for years through local performances, EP releases and collaborations with Clean Bandit. Her first Album was a culmination of this journey. A mix of songs I had heard with some new ones written in the studio with cleaner production.
They say the second album is ‘Difficult’. Do you gamble on something very new, or pander to your existing audience? So what to expect from this new record. Well to start with, it’s not a disappointment, in fact, I would go as far as to call it a triumph.
It starts at the most basic of places. A smooth flowing soundscape with Rae’s voice, that sweet tone with an emotional base that lifts it and makes it stand out from the crowd. ‘Push Me to My Limit’ allows you to drift in to a dream and just get lost in sounds and words.
This is followed by progression. Wonderful electric blips build a rhythm behind a vocal that leads to a musical rise that carries the listener on a wave. “Reborn” was the first single and stands out on its own, but following on from the strong opening, it has an extra level of emotion.
“Atletico” starts to show how Rae is growing as a pop artist. Here the beats start to ‘pop’ and bounce in a way that just makes you smile. This is followed by the wonderful “Do It” a pop anthem if ever I heard one. I can imagine armies of teenagers singing this to each other.
Track 5 “Wait for the Rain” lyrically it is strong, musically it is channelling, moving between hints of Kate Bush and MGMT. It presents more evidence of how much Rae has matured as an artist and how her skills are growing.
“Lower the Tone”, “Physical Form” and “Dip my Toe” continue to demonstrate how Rae is carving out her place in the market. Tight light beats with perfect drops that show off her vocals mixed with catchy tunes that you can’t help but nod you head along to.
The title track “Some One Out There” is lovely song full of hope. This sees Rae back at the piano and will draw comparison to Adele, though I think this is much better than the Grammy winner. I love this track, it’s full of emotion and she paints pictures with her words.
The growth musically through this album, compared to her previous work, takes another set with the wonderfully produced “Rose Garden”. This swings from electronic thumps to flowing piano in such a way that it builds and rises up inside you, lifts you, and keeps you guessing.
Closing out “Dancing with Character” floats towards you with a dream like quality before the drums kick in deliver strong contender for a future generation first wedding dance. Expect to see this used over an ad for BBC.
Putting all these tracks together you have a fine body of work. Individually, each track works on its own, ideal for the modern play-list driven listening habits we have fallen into with out Echos and iPods however, if you take the time to sit down and listen to this as a complete piece you’ll get a sense of why the artist has put these songs in this order. It’s not just pop music, though it contains it. I think this a soundtrack to any film you want to write in your head.
For my money, and using this record as evidence, I think Rae Morris should be given the shot at writing the next James Bond theme and whats more, I think Blackpool should be so, so proud of her.
Rae Morris – Someone Out There is released today. Available from music stores and streaming services.
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