Track of the Day: mUmbo – Rollin’ Over
Since their formation two months before the UK Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, alternative rock trio mUmbo has been sharing a unique musical style with the masses. From the well-received debut album Fly With Swallows to the single ‘Don’t Even Mind The Rain’, Doug MacGowan (guitars and banjo) and Emma Semple (vocals, violin and viola) are reaching audiences across the globe. Described as “spinning a memorable and elegant sound…” (Plastic Mag), “…genre-bending…” (Rising Artists Blog) and “…a cure for the soul” (TJPL News), mUmbo can easily be deemed eclectic and original. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Rollin’ Over’.
Aligning with their description of being “genre-bending”, mUmbo’s new single is a complete musical contrast to their blues-inspired singles ‘Swing My Hip’ and ‘Right Here On The Ground’ (both released in 2022). While a mild blues tone does exist in ‘Rollin’ Over’, there is a smoother, softer and gentler indie-rock meets grunge flow to the song. If I had to compare ‘Rollin’ Over’ to any established band, it would probably be The Cranberries. An experimental lilt exists in the soundscape fusing blues guitars and pounding drums in a hazy ambience. Yet, it is Semple’s haunting vocals that truly give you the spine-chilling sensation.
Joined by Martin Goodchild on the organ and Antonio Dale on drums, ‘Rollin’ Over’ is a self-recorded and produced piece spanning two countries. Recorded by Semple, MacGowan and Goodchild in a UK-based home studio but with Dale recording from his studio in Italy, ‘Rollin’ Over’ is evidence of remote collaboration and its artistic potential. Along with the intriguing production process, mUmbo shows its true artistry in the poetic, intimate and enchanting lyricism.
Delicately exploring human fragility with the vulnerable arrangement, mUmbo find the line between provocative wistfulness and elegant optimism in ‘Rollin’ Over’. When speaking about the single, the band explain that “after so much darkness, fear and deep uncertainty in recent times…we just wanted to say something hopeful, something connective, something of light in the darkness…the new single is a song about cautious optimism. How, no matter what, each day gives you a chance to reset, to make a fresh start…”
For more from mUmbo check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
