Music / new releases
DIY dream-pop LP is an ethereal escape
Bedroom dream-pop singer/songwriter Helena Walker has released her debut album Hear as the Mirror Echoes under her artist moniker herbal tea.
An intimate, atmospheric and deeply personal record that is both wistful and glistening, Walker has remained true to her staunch DIY ethic in its creation.
“The album was recorded when and where we could, pieced together slowly over the last few years,” she said, on celebrating its release.
is needed now More than ever
“A lot has changed in that time, and it’s been weighing on me for many years, but I understand now that it’s the time it needed.
“Everything you hear has been made in homes from one rented place to another, recorded on floors, in bedrooms and living rooms, with everything from demo to master by me and Henry (Sharpe of Sleep Radio).”
The record was finished, with the help of Jonny Allan of Happyness, in the studio at the Louisiana. It has a velvety, dream-like quality that resonates with images of reflections and memories.
Some of the album’s songs emerge as if out of a mist; the lo-fi production quality of others give an impression of a spontaneous private performance.
Of the themes covered in the album, Walker said: “It’s about impermanence, trying to live with your own reflection when it feels fractured, and not always feeling at home in your body or your surroundings.
“Some lyrics are stream-of-consciousness, written through periods of depression and anxiety; others are lifted from dreams or old diary entries.
“I’ve always felt like a bit of an outsider, and making music is my escape. I hope this album can be that escape for someone else.”
Hear as the Mirror Echoes has been released by Gold Day in conjunction with Orindal Records on vinyl and cassette, as well as being available to stream on at herbaltea.bandcamp.com/album/hear-as-the-mirror-echoes
Main image: Sarah Rose Currie
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