Heddy Edwards - Black Tunnel (self-released)

If we were going to use the passing of seasons as an analogy for the ever-evolving nature of a song, then “Black Tunnel” seems to cover all four and probably a few more in just under four and a half minutes. And that is what you call a sonic journey in the truest sense of the meaning.

For a song to be able to cycle through such musical seasons from an acoustic spring of soft, dream-pop through lulling electronica interludes into a lush indie summerscape before wilder sonic winds build momentum delivering us into the shimmering glory of rocks winter solstice high point is, in itself, a succulent feat in soundscaping.

But to do so effortlessly, a trick that Heddy Edwards pulls off, is the real charm here. “Black Tunnel” is more than just the execution and flow of ideas, much more than the joining together of musical motifs. This is soundscaping in its truest sense, with no obvious breaks or noticeable joins, just the passing of…excuse me pushing the analogy to near breaking point…musical seasons, the changing of which only becomes apparent when you look back at where you have come from.

Heddy Edwards echoes a sound from a dreamier pop past, and it isn’t hard to see her tipping her hat to past greats such as Fleetwood Mac as well as more recent folk-rock crossovers such as Wildwood Kin. But it is clear from her new take on such sounds, her ability to blend lush and cinematic music seamlessly and just the level of fresh adventurousness alongside a certain amount of familiarity that proves that this is an artist looking towards the potential of the future rather than dwelling on the already well defined and penned chapters of the past.

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