Lonelady - Hinterland

Five years on from the release of the post punk flavoured Nerve Up, Mancunian multi-instrumental LoneLady gets a little funky for Hinterland. As inspired by Prince and Parliament as she is by Manchester’s grey skies and industrial wastelands, Julie Campbell offers a collision of sounds which, while sometimes jarring (‘Silvering’), often opens up a world of new and exciting possibilities (‘Bunkerpop’).
The impact of some of the material suffers from being a little repetitive (most tracks average around the five/six minute mark). But when LoneLady hits her stride on the likes of ‘Groove It Out’ it’s truly exciting. Centred on a simple but effective bassline, the track employs interesting percussion and a soulful vocal excellently. ‘(I Can See) Landscapes’ a stark, early Cure-esque, post-punk offering is another gem. Unfortunately though, there’s not enough moments like these on the nine track album to make it a classic.

Key Track - 'Groove It Out'