There is no doubt that Elfin Bow has been going through an incredibly difficult period in her life, going though a divorce and then catching COVID 19, but one can only wish her the best and hope that this release is a bookmark for a new and positive time for her. I have long been a fan of her music, as her singer songwriter style is both ethereal and beautiful, and with this her first release for some time it is like rediscovering her all over again. Part of this is also due to a different approach, as during her troubles Elfin took up the ukulele, a gentle instrument that literally sits close to the heart and began writing. This provided her with a new approach, and through this she has moved into the fairy tale style that she has alluded to in the past. Elfin has also become more self-sufficient, through both a desire to be in control and simple necessity, and consequently she provides all the instrumentation and vocals, with the supported by delicate piano, upright bass sound and close, intimate harmonies.

When I think of a ukulele, I tend to think of the way it is used by Pasifika, which is literally a world away from the way it is played by Elfin, so much so that when I first heard it, I wasn’t sure what it was as it is plucked in the style of a harp. In the past there has been a vibrancy in her music, typified in her wonderful song for her parents, “Take Me Out In Your Old Bread Van”, but here there is a poignancy and emotion, delicate yet with a feeling of underlying emotion. There are sound effects in the form of unsettled autumn winds, the crunch of leaves underfoot, amidst a chorus of birdsong, which bookend the track, which brings us solidly into a very special world indeed. We have been allowed a glimpse into a place and time of magic where everything is possible, and while it is more serious than we have heard from Elfin before, this song is a thing of absolute beauty and majesty, while also being fragile and incredibly raw.

Rating: 10/10

Links:
https://www.elfinbow.com/