Ailsa Tully returns with Holy Isle. While the Welsh artist has been releasing music for a while now, this new EP shows her at her most vulnerable. It’s a break up EP of sorts, but rather than doubling down on the moments of anger, it focuses on an empathetic mindset instead. Wishing nothing but the best for the former lover.
Reflecting on past moments in relationships can often lead to reliving certain emotions, but it can also lead to rediscovering old passions. On Holy Isle, Ailsa reintroduces the Cello into her arsenal. The first instrument she played which influenced her bass-playing. This leads to a lot of off-kilter rhythms on the EP. ‘Greedy’ kicks things off with a driving beat that pulsates through the choral layers of harmony, adding further groove alongside the already catchy guitar licks. It’s a real earworm of a track, and a great way to get things started.
These accessible elements paired with harmonic vocals that’ve become synonymous with Ailsa’s music creates a real interesting sound. Add in the samples of everyday noises such as winds and washing machines, it makes Holy Isle sound so natural. ‘Sheets’ utilises the sound of wind to make those melodies sound even more delicate, harnessing this natural energy wonderfully. With the added sweeps of Cello too, it brings some drama into the song that increase the depth the song has.
Holy Isle is superb. Ailsa Tully has created an EP that maintains its intimacy throughout, even with the amount of growth and ambition it has. The addition of nature into the music is great and allows the EP to truly come alive. As if it’s a discovery you find while out in the woods. This is a break up record like no other. One that focuses on what it means to return back to earth again. So good.