The Spell Between
Motherofskye, 2020
8/10
The former frontwoman for the goth/triphop/darkwave outfit Sunshine Blind, though they broke up in the early 2000's, Caroline Blind’s creative spirit is clearly not going away anytime soon, as she comes through with the Gothic folk record, The Spell Between.
“First” starts with ethereal ambience before picked strings enter the mysterious and dreamy atmosphere, and “God Damn The Sun” follows with soaring vocals in the gorgeous acoustic delivery that’s immediately captivating.
In the middle, “Death To Sleep” recruits playful beats in a more ominous landscape of electronica with a drum machine, while “Regodless”glides with a surreal feeling of hazy pop ideas. “Need To Say”, one of the most intriguing tunes, then offers post-punk undertones amid a light and airy folk ballad.
Near the end, the last tune that isn’t a remix is “Ain’t No Sunshine”, where spirited guitars and soft and agile singing illuminates the Bill Withers tune well, and the remainder of the album offers two remixes, the best being the “Death To Sleep (Alt Mix)”, which presents a busy display of multifaceted skill from Blind.
An extremely forthright listen lyrically, Blind’s dealt with much in her life and her stories come out in a poetic fashion with an artistic quality that often examines the darker side of life with stirring results.
Travels well with: Wood River- More Than I Can See; Grey McMurray- Stay Up