Karen Harding – Til the Ocean Meets the Shore (2022)
Karen Harding has used her intimate storytelling ability to move through vulnerability and get us completely hooked to her sound. This continues with her single ‘Til the Ocean Meets the Shore’ which is a tender and touching acoustic folk track. The second off her upcoming EP, the track is a reflective look at the challenges we face and a realisation of how far we have all come.
Through the single, she also considers how we can achieve anything we put our minds to, with an amazing sense of determination to not give up. Uplifting, inspiring and beautiful, the single is a wonderful second taster of what is to come. If her last releases have got you completely under her powerful musical spell, this is the track that could just do it.
The tender opening of ‘Til the Ocean Meets the Shore’ carefully draws your attention and lightly pulls you into the single. The melody is packed with delicate touches of instrumentation that make you feel like breathing too loudly will break the spell Harding is weaving. Through the light touches of the instruments, she brings a wonderful vulnerability to the single that slowly builds into light and uplifting beauty. It is a truly touching melody that reaches out to emotions resting deep in your soul and draws them into the warmth of the sun. There is a stripped-back feeling to the melody that only enhances the emotive and reflective power of the single. Through the light acoustic notes of the piano and guitar, she has you sinking back on cool sands as you feel the peace of the ocean washing over you and the revitalising energy it has to offer.
While the melody is undeniably powerful in its tenderness, Harding’s vocals are the real driver of the single. Her performance has an earthy feeling that floats into a light breeze. Her voice carries the power of folk into your ears, while looking back on the challenges we all face that make us who we are. Through the lyrics, she considers the struggles we work through and leads us to the chorus which is a stunning realisation of just how far you can go when you are determined. The poignant emotions laced into her performance are amazing as they slowly sink into your soul like the salty air of the ocean settling on your skin. For all the delicacy of the single, there is a really powerful message of inspiration and upliftment woven into it that helps you move forward to chase your dreams.
With a tender folk touch, Karen Harding explores the challenges we face and the realisation that we are able to go as far as we want when we put our minds to it in the touching ‘Til the Ocean Meets the Shore’. Both the melody and vocals are delicate as they reach out to your emotions and pull them into the light. Through her powerfully tender performance, Harding uplifts you and lets you know you can achieve your dreams.
Find out more about Karen Harding on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
