After some brief, atmospheric tone-setting, 19-year-old Bridie Monds-Watson eases into the song B A NoBody, a stunning slow burn of sparkling guitars and shimmery cymbals awash in reverb.
It’s a hell of a way to start her debut album under the SOAK moniker. The song’s instantly memorable chorus is as substantial as it is stylish. The record is filled with songs that don’t sacrifice one for the other, which isn’t surprising given the Irish teenager was the first signee to CHVRCHES new label last year, a band that maintains the same balance.
Monds-Watson is startlingly accomplished for her age, showing a deft hand at songcraft on the beachy, mellow Sea Creatures and the poppy, restrained synth-folk of Reckless Behaviour. The ache and weight in her voice make it the defining instrument, its crackling delicacy set against tear-jerker strings on the climactic Oh Brother.
Before We Forgot How To Dream has us hoping it’s just the beginning of a long life of beautiful music-making from SOAK.
Top track: Garden
SOAK play the Drake Underground on July 30.
