Instead of possessing the husky rasp normally associated with Mancunian acts, Ren Harvieu’s voice is that of a classic singer, evoking memories of late 50s and 60s pop and the likes of Dusty Springfield and Shirley Bassey. Originally intended for release last summer, Through the Night had to be pushed back after Ren suffered a traumatic spinal injury at a party when a guy landed on her whilst vaulting over a hedge.
Happily, she is now recovered and her music feels imbued with her new sense of freedom, adopting an invigorating carpe diem attitude on ‘Open Up Your Arms’ in which she implores ‘Let me in before it’s too late’. The album as a whole speaks of independence and strength, with a musical and lyrical maturity which seems well beyond her 21 years.
The instrumentation is orchestral and lush with an intimate live feel to the recording, providing some relief at a time when computerised synthesisers and excessive layering are dominating the market. The album is full of big choruses, and the use of euphoric strings on songs like ‘Through the Night’ make Harvieu sound like a less kooky but more human Florence and The Machine. The one issue with these big choruses is that, combined with the strings and Harvieu’s 60’s vibe, some tracks, like ‘Walking in the Rain’ and, to a lesser extent, ‘Summer Romance’, end up sounding dangerously close to ABBA.
But by and large, the album is a triumph, with the slower tempo songs, like ‘Tonight’ and ‘Forever in Blue’ being equally, if not more interesting, than the anthemic numbers. You often hear albums being described as summer albums. Through the Night is an album for the spring–time; a refreshing breath of life which promises more to come.
Four Stars
