Songs Of Abundance, Psalms Of Grief (La Rubia Producciones) is the debut album from Edinburgh-based healthyliving, who comprise of singer Amaya Lopez-Carromero (Maud The Moth), guitarist/bassist Scott McLean (Ashenspire / Falloch) and drummer Stefan Potzsch. The project is the culmination of the three working together under various different guises over the years and follows on from their EP release Until/Below (2021).
Amaya’s voice sounds hauntingly beautiful throughout the record, as there is a real dark and melancholic edge to her clean singing. And her sound combining with the grungy, bass-heavy stoner vibe of opener ‘Until’, will find favour with anyone who enjoyed both excellent releases from Brutus or Gaupa in 2022.
At times her vocals come across a little like those of Amy Winehouse, a comparison which shines through on ‘To The Gallows’, as her voice contrasts elegantly with phrenetic blackened riffing and galloping percussion, and also on ‘Back To Back’ where she croons over a hypnotic rolling dub-like bass.
The pulsating dub-bass style also stands out on ‘Galleries’, with a deep laid-back feel to the verse, building to a heavier chorus and eventually moving to an uplifting crescendo with angelic Bjork-esq singing. There is an unquestionable influence of nineties alternative rock throughout, which blends with a distinct indie vibe as shown on ‘Dream Hive’, ‘Bloom’ and ‘Ghost Limbs.’
And on ‘To The Fields’, the band create a dreamy Smashing Pumpkins-like feel, with soft ethereal singing from Amaya which eventually explodes with a chasm of distortion, while she powerfully lets rip with her ever-impressive vocal cords. healthyliving close the album with a more experimental post-rock sound, a comparatively diverse finish not unlike Big|Brave, with the use of atmospheric drone-like soundscapes on ‘Obey’.
Overall Songs OF Abundance, Psalms Of Grief is a powerfully emotive debut, which flows like fine wine from start to finish, and sets the band up with a fine arsenal of music for their live debut at the legendary Roadburn Festival in April 2023.
Buy the album here:
https://healthylivingband.bandcamp.com/album/songs-of-abundance-psalms-of-grief
8 / 10
ABSTRAKT_SOUL_