Earlier this year Dublin based Keeley released what is possibly one of my most listened to EPs of this year in Brave Warrior. The four songs on the EP were all utterly beautiful and had me transfixed from the off.
Keeley offers an unusual proposition in terms of songwriting in that all of her songs are written with one person in mind. All of her songwriting is written around the unsolved murder of Inga Maria Hauser, a German tourist who went missing in 1988 aged just 18. When she went missing, she was en route to Dublin, one of the destinations she had most been looking forward to visiting.
Echo Everywhere picks up the story from the Brave Warrior EP, with a remix of the single The Glitter and the Glue heading up the EP alongside three new songs, Never O’Clock, London Sunrise and the title track Echo Everywhere.
I’m pleased to say this second EP is every bit as instantly addictive, hypnotic in its charm and sensitively touching as Brave Warrior. The remix of The Glitter and the Glue deals with the song sympathetically, not changing the overall quality and nature of the melodies and rhythms, retaining its intensity and captivating storytelling.
Exquisitely Ethereal
The three new songs are exquisitely ethereal in their delivery, recalling bands like the Cocteau Twins and Slowdive as they filter through your subconscious in a dreamlike manner. Guitars twinkle like starlight in Never O’Clock while London Sunrise evokes that feeling of slowly waking from a deep relaxing sleep with life-affirming thoughts of adventures to come filling Inga’s head.
Echo Everywhere echoes the sentiments of You Never Made it That Far in its reflections on Inga never making it as far as Dublin – “Stranraer to Larne, a bridge too far”, while elsewhere the lyrics throughout the song are packed with evocative imagery. Musically there are some radiant instrumental breaks and sensitive guitar riffing that compliment the emotional nature of the lyrics perfectly.
Another absolutely stunning piece of work by Keeley and co. I eagerly await the next instalment.
If you want to read more about the case of Inga Maria, follow The Keeley Chronicles blog, a dedicated and in depth look at Inga’s tragic tale.
Keeley Bandcamp
One Reply to “Keeley – Echo Everywhere – EP review”
Comments are closed.