Natalie Bouloudis – Dream River (2024)
Known for her haunting vocals, thrilling melodies, and gothic soundscapes, singer-songwriter Natalie Bouloudis intoxicates audiences with enigmatic elegance. From her 2016 formation, she has built a loyal following far beyond her UK borders with notable reviews, powerful performances at various festivals – actually in 2017 she shared the stage with Florence + The Machine – as well as extensive radio airtime with chart-topping songs. We came across the UK-based Bouloudis a few years back with her 2020 single ‘Coal’. The latest addition to her discography is the single ‘Dream River’.
Following her critically acclaimed EP Devil Is Doubt, ‘Dream River’ is Bouloudis’ first release in three years. Recorded and produced with Joy Stacey and Emily Magpie at Crown Lane Studios, ‘Dream River’ is a divine combination of sophistication, elegance and raw naivety. Shifting slightly with a darker, more intense sound as compared to the tracks of Devil Is Doubt, ‘Dream River’ offers a more mature tone within a gothic soundscape.
For me, listening to ‘Dream River’ is like being set off on a sonic river amidst a heavy fog – think of the scene in The Phantom of the Opera with hazy smoke delicately wrapping about Christine as the Phantom leads her to his lair – that’s it…well, sort of. Just as the river is sleek and glistening, tumultuous waves lie beneath the glassy surface. The combination of Luke Novak’s bass guitar melds along Hannah Stacey’s drums with Natalie Bouloudis’ guitar soaring through the air. A shimmer of Stacey’s keyboard adds a bit of a chill while Luke Waterfield’s violin enhances the spine-chilling intensity of ‘Dream River’.
All a marvellous albeit mildly terrifying rush of sound, but something special comes in Bouloudis’ powerful vocals. Slithering through the melody and still binding the instruments, her rich voice is steadfast and commanding while delicate and fragile. I find this particularly interesting as ‘Dream River’ “wrestles with the crawling of time” with tender intimacy and bold acceptance.
Find out more about Natalie Bouloudis on her Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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