Niamh Maclennan’s latest release is a picturesque and bittersweet piece of indie pop that features ample ambiance, a steady pace, and a structured build that makes this soft and stormy ballad rather intoxicating.
With her roots in the beautiful Applecross peninsula, Niamh Maclennan is a singer and songwriter currently based in Glasgow. Her hushed and laid back vocals blend rather sweetly with her crisp and clean electric guitar performance to create a mesmerizing and introspective atmosphere on her latest cut ‘Escape’, produced by the talented Jolon Yeoman at Knockwood Studios in Leith, and features an illustrious array of gifted musicians. Stephen Buggy on drums, Tabitha Beavitt on the fiddle, and Yeoman himself on the bass, the trio are in constant support of Maclennan’s arresting guitar and voice performance.
The song’s introduction, featuring only Maclennan’s voice and guitars, singing about the transformative power of music and its ability to heal and correct wrongs, is dazzling. Soon, the beat is introduced, just the kick drum at first, introducing a steady pace to the piece before exploding into the song’s main beat, shapeshifting and intricate, roomy and intimate in sound. The lo-fi feel on ‘Escape’ can be compared to acoustic rock legends No Doubt in its raw immediacy. ‘Escape’ is a confident song with leagues of presence and character working in its favor.
A beautiful and inventive release by the Scottish artist, ‘Escape’ is thoroughly created and is lovingly played and carefully balanced. With a capable mix and an array of gifted musicians on board, we are left with a tight and memorable indie pop release that we won’t be having enough of anytime soon.
