Unflinching honesty exposed bare, through the gorgeously soft, yet fiercely brave vocals of Ailsa Tully.
By a brooding bass line, we are drawn into the world of Ailsa Tully. Husky musings pry open latest single Edge as we learn an unexpected truth. On a hazy, glowing twilight of London’s riverbank, an evening full of laughter and life; painstaking anxiety is all that consumes her inner monologue.
As though the river flows calmly, Edge carries the listener along in delicate ripples and waves that never break. Despite the swell of emotive depth conveyed within the track, the music remains soothing and soft. Purposefully evoking a sense of numbness, against racing thoughts and a quickened heartbeat. When a mind cannot stop thinking, there eventually exists an odd state of tranquillity in the confusion, where one is simply lost amongst the chaos. As the brooding bass line plays on and the lull of the nightlife hums steadily in the background. Set against Ailsa’s stunning vocals, the music is reflective of that peculiar state where we feel everything, yet nothing. The surrounding world is meaningless, as our thoughts are all that exist.
The deliberate stark contrast between the music and lyrics is staggeringly beautiful. Creating a dreamlike, lullaby nightmare in Edge, that is nothing short of captivating. As we meander through the song, musical traction is picked up towards the end as the bass heavies and a drumbeat ensues, but an overall eerie sense of calm remains.
Vocally Ailsa heightens her range in parts, as peaks in her worries amplify in reflection of her lyrics. Edge is such a raw, honest, and brave expression of herself, that presents gorgeous vocal capabilities. Ensuring we behold Ailsa Tully as a hauntingly brilliant singer and songwriter.
A deep level of empathy and reflection exists within her music. As listeners, we too feel as though we are wandering the streets of London’s nightlife. Woefully lost amongst the ‘normality’, whilst consumed by our own thoughts and a desperate search for clarity. Yet somehow, we are swallowed by a soft heady calmness that could be our outer appearance to the world. I am completely in awe of the fascinating vocal delivery and backstory of Edge. I cannot wait to hear more from Ailsa Tully.
Becky and the Bands 