When I had a bad flu last week, one of the few albums I could endure was this latest creation by Lorna. “Static Patterns and Souvenirs” is the second album by this Nottingham group and contains just the soothing sounds I needed to accompany me in my fever. Because this record is released by Words on Music, I expected a musical treatment somewhere between shoegaze and indie pop. Add some folk and orchestral elements and you are on the right trail.
Dreamy. shimmering guitars and lovely warm and soft vocals (both male and female) are the main ingredients. The music is further coloured by a wide variety of instruments, both traditional (pedal steel, classical guitar, flute, vibraphone, viola, banjo, French horn, flugelhorn, harmonica, mandola) and experimental (theremin, found noises, electronics).
The title of the first song ‘Understanding Heavy Metal Parts I and II’ may give you the wrong impression, but most songs are slow and moody, almost sad. The melodies are subtle and very pleasant to listen to, as are the harmonic vocals. The songs are often like waves floating all around you. “Static Patterns and Souvenirs” has a pleasant calmness, like a warm bath or a visit to a country village where time stands still.
Is this album spectacular or revolutionary? No, but who cares, this is just beautiful music. Lorna is recommended if you like label colleagues as Coastal or Fiel Garvie, or dreampop acts like Mazzy Star, Lush and Mojave 3.
