Swedish Americana act Ashes & Fire have released a world of contrasts in the body of work that is called ‘In The Mourning Light’. A play on words always does well with ourselves, so the album and its tranquil, angelic sound, instantly left an impression.
The artists have created a heartfelt, heart-wrenching, and stripped back collection of songs that sing together in harmony. Driven by soft piano tones and subtle soundscapes, breathing compositions, and juxtaposed colourful, thumping songs of excitement, Ashes & Fire have created a surprise from the beginning until the very end. Their debut album is filled with characterful tales of passion, inspired by folk pop with hints of indie on songs such as ‘Clementine’, and ‘Hopeful’. Driven by soft and passionate folk sounds that pull on our heartstrings are songs such as ‘My Heart Is Broken’ and ‘Down In The Willow Garden’, ‘Return Of The Grievous Angel’, which brings a light-hearted and colourful hook to the album.
‘In The Mourning Light’ is the result of the band’s love for country and folk tradition, which we hear most adamantly on the last track mentioned. Ashes & Fire take us on a journey cross-country and it’s a heartfelt one all the way throughout. They take us through lanes of pop and rock a la Alanis Morissette and Jeff Buckley, sweet symphonies, beautiful harmonies, and pop stories a la Ryan Adams and Emmylou Harris. A favourite of us on this extended album filled with interludes, overtures, and extended versions, is a sweet and heart-breaking piano-driven pop song in ‘Come Home’.
The title track of ‘In The Mourning Light’ is a subtle and guitar-driven track with a soft and slow burning intro, gorgeously trembling vocals tell a story of love and mourning. Its open and emotional lyrics leave us speechless and have us needing to sit with the feeling this debut album has given us for a little while before we can move on. Ashes & Fire have created something different and rather special and that is something of brilliance in its own right.
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