Yore is the latest project by East-London based musician and producer, Callum Brown. No stranger to the music and art scene, Brown uses his connections to produce a collaborative album to debut Yore – a new venture for experimentation after working with the likes of Mint Field and Ulrika Spacek. The self-titled debut is an utterly seamless and dreamlike variety of tracks – a treat for the ears that simultaneously soothes the soul.
The album opens with the most recent single, Sally Out (ft Mellah & Nuha Ruby Ra) – a rough distortion of dreamy melodies providing an atmospheric and fuzzy intro. Echoing vocals produce a tunnel of psychedelia, which goes on to remain a prominent theme throughout Yore. It is from this point that there is a clear balance of delicate tones at play with the edge of organic collaborative creation, with it all seeming to come together naturally.
Yore continues in a blissed out, lo-if indie energy towards Hawing, in which Dream Wife’s Rakel Mjöll lends her distinctly charming vocals to an enticing sway of harmonies, creating an uplifting sensation of butterflies in the stomach. Nostalgia comes in strong with single Bon Mot, (ft White Flowers), driving the feel good vibes further, with an air of soft 90s grunge through the guitar and Katie Drew’s sweet vocals.
This album comes with shoegaze galore, particularly in the ethereal dream pop stream of consciousness Open Lights (ft Milan Monk), the lyrics here touching on themes of renewal. Following track Sol (ft Panacea) takes on a plinking, chimelike rhythm, mastering the art of relaxation. It sets the scene of the album as a peaceful retreat from the burrows of our mind; perfect now more than ever. The guitar comes in a little stronger towards the outro but not to overwhelm the song, rather to act as a state of grounding in this new realm of zen.
Inside (ft Teto Paranov) stands out with vocals so soft that they are hard to pin down immediately, and a sweet haze lending greater focus to the melodies of the song. Most poignant are those lyrics that we can make out – “mesmerised my soul”. It is somewhat romantic and those lyrics in particular really hone in the idea of this song coming full circle, as it serves to reflect those feelings that inspired it into being.
As the album comes to a close, it grows softer still, envisioning a warm evening in, perhaps with a glass of wine or two in reach; settling into complete relaxation with a hint of intimacy. Plinking rhythms return as final track Fever Dreams (ft Rusalka) provides something introspective; like a sea of thoughts swarming in, put at ease by the gentle tones that came before it. It captures the notion of finding solace in the imposing nature of the world around us, and projects that alleviation out to the listener.
In short, listening to Yore is like slipping into something a little more comfortable, while taking a moment to escape from reality. It is soft and gentle on the ears, all while celebrating collaboration and introducing exciting artists we may not have had the pleasure of previously hearing. Familiar, yet fresh, Yore’s debut album is a testament to the community of musical creatives and those that consume it.
Yore is released on 4th December via Flat Five Records. Check out my Q&A With Yore to find out more.
SAMANTHA MAE 