Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Emma Hunter – Nightingale (2021)

In 2019, veteran musicians Emma Hunter and Tom Bruce combined their natural talent for music to bring us creative, emotive and provocative music. With individual experiences in performing and recording, the duo fuses their different styles and inspirations in their unique sound. Featured at notable venues such as The Oxford O2 Academy, the pair have built a reputation for engaging and enthusiastic shows. Moreover, the coverage they receive from BBC Radio, Witney Radio, A&R Factory, YMX, Nightshift Magazine and several online radio stations has helped them reach audiences on an international scale. The latest addition to their well-received discography is ‘Nightingale’.



Following their single ‘Here I Go’, Emma Hunter move from a grunge-inspired single to a melodic combination of dream-pop and indie-rock with a soulful kick. Alright, there are quite a few mentions of different genres which is ridiculous considering the duo are breaking boundaries with their genre-defying music.

Beautifully layered and textured, the soothing musical arrangement immediately plunges you into a swirl of harmonic sound. The different elements do hold a certain dominance with their individual personalities, but overall there is a melodic union as everything comes together in a stunning sharing of talent. Bruce’s steady drumming has a uniqueness of its with the hushed jazzy sound, but it is a foundation for the interspersed guitars and soaring vocals of Hunter. I’m not saying Hunter’s dulcet tones outshine Bruce’s enchanting drums, they just seem to complement each other and know how to form that beguiling sound.

Written as part of a conceptual series, ‘Nightingale’ follows on from ‘Here I Go’ as the protagonist leaves a toxic relationship to fall in love with a stranger hoping to make a change in her life. The sexiness of Hunter’s dulcet tones effortlessly details the alluring nature of this affair between listener and singer, while Bruce’s drums enhance the intense scandal lying beneath. A sonic representation of musical sensuality and desperate longing, ‘Nightingale’ is sophisticated, intoxicating and completely addictive.

For more from Emma Hunter check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.