Album Review: Sorcha Richardson, Draw The Outline

Having spent nearly a decade in New York before returning to Ireland, Sorcha Richardson has now found herself settling in West Kerry. The change of scenery seeps its way into the album, feeling less urban and synthetic than her previous work – softer around the edges, more acoustic and quietly rooted in its place.

The synths have been put aside in favour of warmer instrumentation, but she hasn’t abandoned the lo-fi intimacy. She’s stripped things back, allowing the melodies and vocals to do the heavy lifting.

‘Sea Pink Moon’ is a good example. It gradually gathers momentum before arriving at a climax – though, in keeping with the album’s temperament, it’s a remarkably restrained one. There’s no dramatic explosion; just enough of a melodic shift to give the song a welcome kick.

‘Fake Venice’ is particularly sharp, comparing the hollowness of a superficial relationship with the artificial Venetian architecture found in the likes of Las Vegas. It’s an appropriately strange comparison: both become interesting precisely because of what they’re trying to replicate.

Even if one or two up-tempo numbers could have added a welcome change of pace, overall Draw The Outline is a beguiling piece of work.

7/10