This record encapsulates the ethereal, floating sensation that The Orielles have been able to conjure so successfully – but elevates this feeling further with their latest approach. There’s no fear here; you get the sense that if there’s a boundary in the face of The Orielles, they ask how it can be pushed. All this culminates in the outstanding track ‘Tears Are’, an in-your-face, dissonant marathon of a track - flying in the face of just about any expectations of what their music should be. ‘Only You Left’ hides surprises in every small moment, dazzling you with resonant, delicate soundscapes before throwing out the handbook and launching into an experimental, syncopated instrumental.
The instrumentation lurking within the sound of ‘Only You Left’ is astonishing, showcasing The Orielles’ talent to range between the continual underscoring of the album with violins and recording the Hammond organ’s immense presence during ‘You Are Eating A Part Of Yourself’. This track in particular is nothing short of spectacular - more akin to a film score than a song from a band, the slow echo of “chewing until nothing’s left” is the great centrepiece of a deeply introspective album. Described as “leaning into the beauty of sadness”, ‘Only You Left’ leaves no emotion unexplored, with its probing instrumental sections inviting you to explore the complexity of emotion within the song and leaves space for what this may evoke.
Perhaps most impressive about The Orielles’ latest album is how many genres and influences flit between your ears throughout the experience as it dips its way into acid jazz in ‘Tiny Beads Reflecting Light’, straight onto a whispery, ambient meander through ‘The Woodland Has Returned’. There’s no time signature left untouched, no polyrhythm too adventurous – for the musicians in the room, it’s a fantastic exploration of what a three-piece band can do when they are bound by nothing and inspired by everything. Gone is the sound of The Orielles’ easy-going, ‘indie-summer’ debut album, we get to witness a band flex their musical muscles and push not just their own boundaries and personal identities, but that of their fans.
Therein lies the appeal of The Orielles’ outstanding mastery in drawing from so many genres to create a record focused on the experience – not simply a box-ticking, tour-selling exercise. That being said, The Orielles are taking their experimental approach on tour across the UK, and if their live output is anywhere near their recorded work, it’ll be one to catch! ‘Only You Left’ is the zenith of a band willing to lay everything bare, musically and personally, in pursuit of their art. Undeterred by the relentlessness of their industry, The Orielles have quite successfully returned at their own pace and with their own style.
Joseph Madden
Image: ‘Only You Left’ Official Album Cover
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