Album Review: JC Stewart, Space Hurts

It’s taken JC Stewart 10 years to make his debut album, Space Hurts. Naturally, this 14-track milestone begets a sprawling spread of reflections, mirroring the incessant personal evolution that defines early adulthood. At 28, the Derry songsmith’s album charts a progression from heartbreak to love.

The powerful title-track introduces Space Hurts with a plea for proximity, as Stewart muses: “It’s funny how the space can mak you realise now/ That she’s the only thing I’ll ever need.”. Meanwhile, the ballroom swing of ‘Can’t Stop’ waltzes romantically towards a cathartic coda, with an acceptance of love despite the signs pointing otherwise. ‘Hey Babe, I’m A Mess, I’m Sorry’ is another stirring track, replete with moonlit piano flourishes and an emphatic vocal delivery.

The likes of ‘Mirages’ and ‘Loneliness’ prove similarly powerful, although the ethereal ‘BT45’ is the true standout. Shifting between forlorn piano balladry and shimmering folk-pop cadences, Space Hurts doesn’t draw too heavily from either palette. Rather, it strikes an infectious balance of sonic moods.

The result is an utterly compelling, hypnotic affair.

• Out now.