Album Review: Aldous Harding, Train On The Island

What makes Aldous Harding such a consummate indie-folk artist is that she draws you into her music with only a few light touches. The roiling, repeating percussion, added with the little synth-y riff at the start of ‘I Ate The Most’, is all it takes to build the world of the artist’s fifth album, Train On The Island.

Additionally, the album’s opening line, “I’m not afraid, like you’re not gay,” is deliciously succinct in its drama. Train On The Island has 11 songs, and all of them are very good, from the piano-driven ‘One Stop' to the brilliant ‘San Francisco’ – perhaps the most confessional track, and one that includes a Joni Mitchell-style shift to acoustic guitar at the end.

The album is rare in that it feels like it grows stronger as it progresses. The penultimate tune, ‘Riding That Symbol’, brings you in so close, it feels like you can hear the lyrics in Harding’s head before she vocalises them.

A terrific effort.

8/10