Album Review: Freya Ridings, Mother Of Pearl

With her difficult second album now in the rearview mirror (‘23’s disappointing-in-retrospect Blood Orange), Freya Ridings has embarked on a new journey, both metaphorically and literally. Feeling uninspired by her native London, the golden layrnx-ed songsmith packed her bags and headed to LA for a year, in a bid to feed off the city’s good vibes. The result is a collection of music fuelled by rebellion, rage, grief and grit, stuffed to the gills with potential hits.

Much has been made of Ridings’ vocal similarities to Florence Welch in the past, but for Hot Press’s money, there’s plenty of room for two powerhouse singers, especially when some of the material on Mother Of Pearl is Freya’s finest yet. Wisely putting her miraculous voice front and centre throughout, the likes of the blues and soul-spiced ‘Euphoria’ and the stirring anthem ‘Battleship’ are showstoppers. ‘Undefeated’ is also a knockout. Built around a stunning hook and sprinkled with Celtic magic, it’ll give you goosebumps you can hang a hat off.

An emotional and cinematic listen, Mother Of Pearl is a gem.

7/10