Hen Ogledd’s latest track, ‘Clara’, is peaceful but a wholly serene experience ahead of new album ‘Discombobulated’ releasing February 20th.
Opening with the whirring sound of spooling film roll, a melancholic organ is introduced. After a moment of reflection to begin the track, the tender female vocals of Dawn Bothwell soothe over a piano track and chirring noises, interrupted at times by a deep yet calming “DISCO”. Other members of the band join in to harmonise before a saxophone segment.
Following this, Rhodri Davies’s vocals (now in Welsh as opposed to Bothwell’s English) take the forefront, supported by jingling bells. The song starts to come to a close with a repetition of the first segment: Bothwell’s vocals and harmonising. Finally, the spooling film returns as the singer reads a short poem, the sound of the film eventually fading to signal the end of the track.
‘Clara’ is a peaceful song. Though somewhat doleful, it feels like tranquil solitude. With placid vocals and instrumentation, listening is nothing but a serene experience. The chirping, whistling sounds in the background complete the song, creating a vibrant, beautiful palette akin to the feeling of fireflies pulsating in the sky. Hen Ogledd’s fifth studio album ‘Discombobulated‘ releases on 20th February.
Listen to ‘Clara‘ here: