Held By Trees release their first collaboration with a vocalist, Martin Smith this month. A seven-track extended play. The seven tracks comprise of two twelve-minute songs and a third shorter one, plus instrumental mixes of all three and an ambient version of one.
`You Deserve` leads us in and it evolves slowly and gently as layers build upon layers with a steady drumbeat, tinkling piano keys, guitar and sax tones and vocals that portray an appreciation of a partner or lover. A delightfully dreamy thoughtful composition that is pretty mesmerising. I read that `Lay Your Troubles Down` conveys a simple, heartfelt plea to come and let go of our hardships and hurts and find love that can carry us through life’s sorrows. It`s a wonderfully absorbing number that really draws you in and becomes almost hypnotising and will leave you with a sense of joyful serenity.
`Oh, My Love` is a much more upbeat almost funky exuberant submission which will leave you with a feeling of euphoria. We enjoy thirty minutes of instrumental mixes of `You Deserve`, `Lay Your Troubles Down` and `Oh, My Love` before Hong Kong-based ambient duo, Salt of the Sound share an atmospheric version of `Lay Your Troubles Down` with `Lay Down` with Anita Tatlow adding some haunting vocals.
This was an interesting collaboration that worked really well. At times it felt quite Pink Floyd meets Marillion with Steve Hogarth. It was a novel idea to have the instrumental versions to compare and contrast with the vocalised ones.
There was a truly spiritual, mystical almost supernatural feel to these numbers shared.
Rating 8/10
