HARRI ENDERSBY – Homes/Lives (own label)

Homes/LivesA rising new presence on the contemporary folk scene, Durham-born Harri Endersby has been putting herself about on the live circuit for the past four years, during which time she released her debut EP, Ivy Crown, to good reviews. Now here’s her debut album, Homes/Lives, an eleven track collection of songs informed by influences drawn as much from Icelandic electro-folk as the traditional music of the North East. Constructed around a mix of acoustic and electronic instrumentation over which are layered her multi-tracked vocals, the songs, as the title suggests, revolve around thought of who we are and where we belong, the yearning to explore, the tug to return and the journey in-between.

With bassist/guitarist and drummer/synth player augmenting Endersby’s guitar and violin, it begins with the simple drone accompanied ‘Intro’, Endersby harmonising with herself, the sparse instrumentation making its appearance with the soft shuffle of ‘Laughter Lines’. The fingerpicked title track’s a good example of the gentle, pastoral mood that permeates the album, her voice relaxed and dreamy, likewise the hushed ‘Bird & Whale’ and ‘Noise’.

Although the sonic landscape expands as the album progresses, with skittering electronics on ‘Stay Awhile’, the puttering guitar work of ‘Hear’ or the more uptempo beat to ‘Let Me Run’ for example, it generally tends to maintain much the same floaty level throughout, suggesting it’s best experienced in an equally tranquil setting. A little more light and shade might go amiss as she progresses, but she can feel rightly proud of her achievements here.

Mike Davies

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Artist’s website: www.harriendersby.com

‘Homes/Lives’ – live:


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