Tramor is the newest album from Heddlu. The new musical project of Rhodri Daniel, who after years as part of renowned Welsh band Estrons, experienced severe hearing loss following its departure in 2019. After what was undoubtedly a difficult time, Rhodri found solace in this new venture. Pairing styles akin to the likes of Air, Caribou and NIN together to launch debut album cantref in 2022.
With a new foundation set, Rhodri spent the next few years writing and experimenting as his hearing improved. While life continued to bring some disruptions, it also brought influences too. Some resulted in an entire album’s worth of material to be scrapped, but others lead us to Tramor, so they’re not all bad. Meaning ‘Overseas’ in Welsh, Tramor is a series of intimate songs that detail loss, trauma and hope.
As the two minute instrumental of ‘Y Pell’ sets the tone for an atmospheric listen, Heddlu brings wave after wave of sonic thunder our way. ‘Fire A Flare’ leans into early Tame Impala psychedelia as it zips through the skyline with its wandering synths and Rhodri’s grounded vocals. Its chorus erupts with dream-like vibrancy and has a close that truly feels like the flare has been lit. It’s great, and leads into the driven beat of ‘Paid Becso Am Dim’.
Things head to a more intimate setting on ‘Cut The Rope’, in which synthesisers are set aside for acoustic guitar chords and Rhodri’s vocals to take precedence. The performance maintains the all encompassing nature of the Heddlu sound, but it feels like there’s a vulnerability present that allows us to connect to it. This is furthered some more on ‘Honestly’, which slows down the tempo a little to invite extra emotions in, before the ambition ramps up on the heart-strung ‘Wish You Were Her’.
Tramor is a superb album. Heddlu has expanded on its foundations and delivered a record that has all the tools to soar beyond any of the skies, and a grounded-ness that makes it easy to connect to. Rhodri’s ability to create instrumentals loaded with beats is second to none, but its the vulnerability in the lyrics that really keeps it flowing nicely. Giving it a ton of reasons to return to. It’s so good.