(2021) Saint Sister - Where I Should End


Review:
Saint Sister provide a soothing and welcome balm via their second full-length recording, awash with uplifting and artfully constructed pop music. Melody and mood combine within the bed of a confident self-production that embeds their honeyed vocals in a swell encompassing both the acoustic and the electronic. Their self-termed Atmosfolk features delicate hints of their Irish heritage filtering into the ethereality of the whole. Originally from the North of Ireland, friends Morgan McIntyre and Gemma Doherty met in Dublin several years ago. Both have clean and clear voices that pair like kin, predominantly singing together, in a close-knit harmony with electro-harp and electronic keyboards as the main accompaniment. Following an EP, Madrid, in 2015, their first lbum, ‘Shape of Silence’, followed in 2018, being put forward for the prestigious RTE Choice Music Prize and the Northern Irish Music Prize. They have toured Europe and the U.S, supporting several artists, including Keane, Hozier and Lisa Hannigan, who also features on this release. They also performed their debut NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, opening no small number of ears and eyes to their capabilities. A sombre churchy organ is the first sound that opens the recording ‘My Brilliant Friend’. It’s the perfect introduction; their vocals, the first of several layers gradually dropping in, followed by harp, piano and other keyboards and, finally, the rhythm section of drums and acoustic bass. Pedal steel swirls spectrally somewhere within the mix, the whole a shimmer of delicate promise. By contrast, ‘Dynamite’ starts acapella, before a repeating paired piano and harp motif and electronic drums add a spring that propels the song with a swagger appropriate to the lyric: “I guess it’s time we talked about, the funny way you move your mouth” being the typically quirky opening couplet. ‘Karaoke Song’ wears its upbeat heart upfront, an unashamedly commercial track and the first of, so far, five of the songs here to be released as singles. Inspired by an actual karaoke session, when the girls sang the Tom Jones’ banger ‘Sexbomb’, can I be the first to say this is better? Having previously toured with Lisa Hannigan, she now guests with them for ‘The Place That I Work’, initially the most instantly folkie song here, again with an acapella start, the third voice adding an extra sheen, Doherty’s harp providing a ground for the ambient haze of sounds floating all about it. A ‘stop what you’re doing song’ that demands attention and repeating. The same vibe permeates into the following, ‘Irish Hour’, building with gentle percussion before breaking sideways into an orchestral string arrangement that is both unexpected and beautiful. Doherty’s early ambition had been to write a film score, and, on this evidence, she is more than capable. ‘Date Night’ has a US west coast vibe, enhanced by subtle pedal steel, courtesy of David Tapley of Dublin’s Tandem Felix, the double bass coming via Caimin Gilmore (Sun Collective, Crash Ensemble), and drums from Shane Gough, ace Dublin percussionist for hire. Throughout the record, other playing, percussion, electric bass, and additional synths come from Rian Trench, also the sound recordist. ‘Oh My God Oh Canada’ is another ethereal chug that carries an anthemic feel, featuring all the above musicians along with the return the string quartet which, along with Gilmore, features members of the Crash Ensemble orchestra, the depth of their sound a wry contrast to the deliberate lightness of the vocal. Which is just the mood warranted for another standout track, ‘Manchester Air’, a folktronic lament inspired by the pro-choice movement and those forced to travel overseas to seek abortion services. It was written in the lead-up to the 2018 referendum on the Eighth Amendment in Ireland which banned abortions and was performed first over the referendum weekend before the outcome reversed the oppressive situation existing beforehand. Moving and evocative, this is a haunting song, whose story and message lingers long. ‘House 9’ is a near instrumental that shows off Doherty’s harp, over a background of keyboards, which allow pause for thought at this point in the album. Towards the end, it picks up an electronic motif, which, with a slight tweak, is also how album closer ‘Any Dreams’ starts, occupying an almost trance-like euphoria feel, but with a bit more soul than pure electronica can provide. A good way to close proceedings. This record amazes. The blending of the acoustic and electronic has seldom come together so seamlessly, and certainly not with the precision displayed here. File under whatsoever you like, I guarantee it will stick fast in your consciousness. — folkradio.co.uk





Track Listing:
01.My Brilliant Friend  04:17
02.Dynamite  03:21
03.Karaoke Song  03:09
04.he Place That I WorkLisa Hannigan  03:58
05.Irish Hour  04:08
06.Date Night  04:08
07.Oh My God Oh Canada  04:57
08.Manchester Air  04:07
09.House 9  02:16
10.Any Dreams?  05:18


Media Report:
Genre: indie-folk, indie-pop
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits