Tag: Oran

As Rebellious Rebirth is a debut album with an inspiring back story, by an artist – Oran – who is likely to be unfamiliar to many readers, a bit of background information seems a good way to start. Just a year ago the Scottish pianist, harpist, singer, and songwriter was at a low point. A series of traumatic incidents, going back to her childhood, had culminated in a diagnosis of complex PTSD. A former professional musician, Oran had been away from music for ten years, but many find healing in creativity, and Oran found her way back to music. In particular, it was songwriting that provided a new beginning and resulted in a collection of new songs. From there she contacted a music producer friend in Londan – Gerry Diver – and the result is Rebellious Rebirth.

Predictably, the lyrics are self-exploratory and introspective, but Oran hopes they’ll provide support and inspiration to others experiencing personal crisis, so it’s not all gloom. Musically, Oran draws on various influences, combining Celtic folk with bluesy melodies, techno beats and ambient soundscapes.

These influences are apparent from the start. ‘Falsely Faithfull’ – a song about betrayal and manipulative behaviour – has a powerful opening, with industrial drumming quickly joined by piano and fiddle playing a stirring Celtic melody. Then the vocals begin, and the blues influence enters the mix. On the following track, ‘Set Free,’ the electronic, techno elements are very prominent. Opening with the repeated line ‘Under my skin,’ It develops into a lively tune with a good rhythm, and lyrics that talk of setting out on a new journey.

The tempo changes on ‘A Mirror.’ This has a discordant, ambient opening, before haunting and soulful vocals begin. Ambient background effects continue, but this is the most Celtic sounding track on the album, with Oran’s harp the main instrument and a good fiddle sequence. The tune is gently haunting. The lyrics speak of the way we are seen by others and contains hints of loneliness and loss. A beautiful track.

The mood feels altogether different on ‘Wulver,’ an upbeat song about a relationship that seems to be going very well; ‘You’re my wulver, The dancer in my dreams’. A wulver is a sort of part wolf, part man, and appears in Shetland folklore. Is that really something you’d want in your dreams? Well, in this song, full of folkloric references – ‘I’ll be your selkie lover’ – the answer is clearly, yes.

By this point on the album, two things have become clear. First, that Oran has a fine and versatile singing voice. Second, she has a knack for creating tunes with an infectious rhythm. That’s true of the next two tracks. ‘Get Ready’ has a delicate harp opening, which gives way to more soulful vocals and discordant techno effects, with the repeated lines ‘Need a new army, Army of you and me.’ This new army is an army of love, and the lyrics are a heartfelt plea for a better World, where humanity comes together. ‘Stronger inside’ is another track with a good and infectious hook. The opening sets up a strong drumming rhythm, giving it the feel of a joyful marching tune, with a message of inner strength.

From another discordant start, ‘Sweet Downfall’ develops a pleasing melody with a Celtic feel. That partly continues, with some good fiddle sequences on the following track, ‘Ocean Blues,’ although this is another track with varied influences and, with its piano and base opening, it has a jazzy vibe. Oran’s impressive piano playing is evident here.

There’s another nice piano sequence at the start of ‘Forgive Me.’ A techno backing then underpins a gentle tune, while the lyrics carry a serious message about the hurt our words can cause, and the healing quality of kindness. ‘This Moment’ follows with another gentle tune, this time with an almost dreamy quality. This is another track on which a relationship is going well, and with no wolf men this time. The important thing is to be in the moment; ‘We’re standing in this moment that won’t come again’.

Which brings us to the final track, ‘Dream Anyway’. This stands apart from other tracks here in that it’s essentially unaccompanied vocals. The techno wizardry is gone, other than an echo effect on Oran’s voice that works very well. This is another serious song – ‘When we go there’s no more suffering that went before.’ Like ‘Get Ready,’ it’s a plea for a better World, with big tech as the main target. Oran is particularly concerned about the impact of ‘silver screens’ on children, and there is a powerful plea for them to stay connected to nature. This is haunting, anthemic, heartfelt, poignant, and a great conclusion to the album.

Rebellious Rebirth is an album the fuses varied influences, and fusion can divide opinion. The question is, does this work as a folk album while also achieving wider appeal? My conclusion is – and I’m sorry if this is a dreadful cop out – that I couldn’t quite decide. At times I wasn’t sure where to place what I was listening to in the musical landscape, or exactly where its appeal will lie. On the other hand, this album has some really good tunes, accompanying heartfelt and thoughtful lyrics. It’s well produced, and Oran has a towering voice.

Perhaps another way of looking at it is that, wherever it fits in musically, this is a very listenable album, and Oran is developing a unique sound of her own. Possibly because of its varied strands, it also rewards repeated listening. Rebellious Rebirth probably won’t appeal to some purists, but for anyone interested in experiencing something a bit different, it’s well worth a listen. Oran is an original new voice in the broad folk genre, and I shall watch her progress with interest.

Graham Brown

Artist’s website:  oran.co.uk

‘Falsely Faithful’ – official video: