To bottle an emotion, is to capture a moment. Holding on to a feeling, entwines memories within it.
Through Debut EP Open Up, Honey. GILLIE is completely in tune with her emotion.
Each song is a delicate glass jar. The contents of which are raw and sweet, yet a sharpness exists.
Pairing rich, earthy vocals with sweeping guitar sounds. GILLIE bares her soul through the most beautiful indie-folk music.
I had the overwhelming joy of premiering first track Winter Girl ahead of the release of Open Up, Honey. Engulfed with a love of GILLIE’s unwavering lyrics and gorgeous vocals. Her ability to expose such intense feeling is awe-inspiring.
Winter Girl resides as a song for growth. Recognising a difference in ones-self is a moment of freedom, yet with that freedom also exists a harsh undertone of deprecation. Past mistakes, doubts over your own identity, and cutting truths can rise to the surface. Winter Girl truly struck a chord with me. As Gillie admits to those bleak moments that often never meet the eyes of others, through her music.
For the EPs next track, Hear You Say, verses build to an intense chorus. Vocals rise to crescendo. Calmness breaks into a storm to be reckoned with, as GILLIE’s lyrical admissions deepen. Guitars pulse through the track like a heartbeat, and we feel our skin flush and emotions pivot from such raw honesty. Wounds from undeserving lovers are often deep, and GILLIE does not hide from her scars. Hear You Say is nothing shy of exquisite bravery. A beautiful song embodying the strength of wearing your heart on your sleeve.
Closing track Pleasant Thing is eerie by how well it resonates. A blend of soothing tones, gentle guitars and whispering vocals pry open the track. Leading us towards muted lyrics, cutting through like poetry. The poetic sombre nurtured by GILLIE, is once again achingly honest and so sublime.
Vocals lace through the mind of the listener delicately, yet the truths pouring through them awash all else. Soft, rhythmic instrument patterns compliment these vocals gracefully, whilst giving the track body and motion. Pleasant Thing soars to swoon in its breezy chorus, that yearns with sheer lust and longing. A gorgeous alternative love song. Pulling away from, yet pulling towards desire.
Each track presented within Open Up, Honey holds its uniqueness so well. Varying vocal pitches and depths convey such staggering emotion. I have no doubt, that each will hit home with their listeners in different ways.
Speaking of her Debut EP, Gillie explains;
This EP is based around the feeling of emerging from a grey, low place and rediscovering a place of certainly and comfort.
Overall, crafting an EP that is stunning, both vocally and lyrically. Pairing such refined vocals with gentle instrument playing has allowed for gorgeous juxtaposition.
Open Up, Honey is sublime in every way it could possibly be.
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with Jean-Francois Machet. Consisting of Gillie Rowland on vocals, Ailsa Tully on bass and Finlay O’Hara on drums.
Open Up, Honey is available to stream now via Skivvy Records
Follow Gillie on her socials
https://www.instagram.com/gillie_music
https://www.facebook.com/GillieMusic/
https://twitter.com/GILLIE_music
Becky and the Bands 
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