EP Review: "Bloom" - Raynes

British-American trio, Raynes, has released their fourth studio EP, "Bloom", which not only has themes of growth, but sonically and dynamically blossoms from start to finish.

TRACKLIST

Pulling Teeth (I Feel Like She Knows)

Turn It and Twist

Your Mouth Is a Garden

Goldfish

Rainbow Baby

It's So Quiet Without You

Say That You Want It

Raynes consists of North Dakota natives and college buddies Mat Charley and Joe Berger, plus UK born vocalist Mark Race, who moved to the U.S. for the sole purpose of forming a band with Mat and Joe after they found a video of him singing on Instagram. Now based in Los Angeles, they signed with Sony Music Publishing in 2018, leading them to release their first official single in 2019 titled "Lemon Drop", which is pushing 18 million streams on Spotify alone today. Since then, they've taken the world by storm with hit singles, 3 EP releases, gaining attention from Billboard and People, and earning hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners. With a diverse range of musical backgrounds, the band mixes their knowledge to create a beautiful unique blend of folk, rock, and chamber pop with celtic influences. If there had to be comparisons, they're said to have some similarities to Mumford & Sons, Coldplay and Arcade Fire. Now, they're making waves with their brand new fourth EP, "Bloom", (produced by GRAMMY award-winning engineer Chris Sclafani). Let's dive into these tracks.

Pulling Teeth (I Feel Like She Knows)

We open up the EP with the beautifully tragic track, "Pulling Teeth (I Feel Like She Knows)". Although super upbeat with a melody so cathartic you could melt, this song has a very detailed and heartbreaking story. Throughout the lyrics you'll find two characters that seem to be a married couple with a baby; though, they're both now very unhappy and just can't shake it, even though they want to. You're never told when you're young just how hard relationships really are. They take a lot of work, effort, patience and forgiveness. There are times that you will lose your mind, but when you truly love someone, you can't give up. "Pulling Teeth (I Feel Like She Knows)" is in the midst of those worst moments, when you're scared you can't make it. The soundscape of this song is a juxtaposition with it's energetic drum and bass playing a catchy rhythm, mixed with acoustic guitar and a bright fiddle and to really capture your attention.

Turn It and Twist

The second track is "Turn It and Twist", a deeply poetic but yet fun in it's tune track about that kind of person who is ironically nice to you only to make you feel bad about yourself. I feel like we've all experienced this type of relationship, whether it be romantic, with a friend or a with a family member, where they'd always have a condescending attitude after having done something nice for you. Afterwards you just find yourself thinking, "why do anything nice for me at all then if you're going to treat me like that?". There's nothing worse than having someone hold something over your head, especially when you didn't even ask for it in the first place. "Turn It and Twist" has a theatrical sass to it's tone, with a waltzing rhythm and beat. There's bar chanting vocals in the background with plenty of repeating choruses to get you singing along.

Your Mouth Is a Garden

Next, we have "Your Mouth Is a Garden". This song is full of hope and optimism, with promises to be better after having an argument with a loved one and willing to let it all go. The soundscape of this song is shimmering and sparkling with nostalgia. The energetic, upbeat pop/rock nature will have you wanting to move, but that's not all. The layers of vocals, stomping and crashing drums, bass, vibrant keys and more paired with the dynamic production work creates this incredible cinematic atmosphere that keeps you on your toes for the entire song. It's truly a beautiful experience that you'd almost kill for to hear and see happen live in concert.

Goldfish

"Goldfish" is about the realization that your partner isn't only just spending time with you. You can feel the jealousy and madness creeping inside of you, and you want to confront them about it - however, another part of you wants to just stay in denial, and pretend it's not happening. Maybe all the little things you're noticing really are just in your head, and there's nothing to worry about? Or maybe there is something going on, but you're just too scared to lose them. "Goldfish" is loud and bold in it's soundscape. You can hear the anger and hurt bursting through the instrumentation and vocals. What's special about this song is the string quartet which features a mandolin, bouzouki, and bodhran, giving the song a Celtic tone and groove. I also love the

background vocals and harmonic arrangement on this one. It definitely pulls on your heartstrings, especially if you're able to relate to the song.

Rainbow Baby

"Rainbow Baby" is a beautiful song of hope to anyone who has gone through the loss of a child. With plays on words between nature and being a mother, this song sings softly like a lullaby. It starts with a duelling banjo and guitar, gradually growing into a symphony of strings, piano, a xylophone and a gentle, cinematic bass drum to really emphasis the emotional impact of this song. The dynamic shifts and gliding atmosphere create a welcoming, heavenly experience for parents out there who not only need a shoulder to cry on, but a boost of confidence and optimism.

It's So Quiet Without You

Next is "It's So Quiet Without You", a song with a special story. Written several years ago by Raynes, it was a song that stayed a demo but kept being revisited. Without even changing a lyric, just a couple instruments, Raynes decided it was time for this song to be shared with the world. "It's So Quiet Without You" is the song of longing and yearning, wishing the one you love was still by your side after too much time alone; whether it's because you broke up, or because you're long distance, anyone in a situation where they miss somebody can relate to this song. This song is so unique with it's falsetto vocals and dissonant layers of harmonies. The soundscape feels like nighttime in the summer, with crickets chirping in the background and the romantic orchestral instrumentation building so heavily with emotion as the song goes on.

Say That You Want It

Last but not least, we have the super atmospheric and cinematic closer, "Say That You Want It". This song is about a relationship with someone who is giving you mixed signals. You can't tell if they want to leave or stay, and you want them to just be open about what they want from you because you feel like you're losing your mind. This final song, which stands as the longest song on the EP at five minutes long, sonically defines what the EP "Bloom" is all about as it grows and flourishes with stunning instrumental moments and repeating choruses to emphasis the emotional impact.

It's almost hard to put into words how beautifully done this EP is. The creative chemistry between these three is so undeniable, you can feel it in your heart when you're listening to their music. Every detail in every song is so intentional, from the thoughtful storytelling from start to finish, to the instrumental choices, to the vocal arrangements and harmonies... you start to get lost in just how stunning everything sounds. I truly believe Raynes coming together was fate, and the music they put out into the world is meant to be heard. It's not only relatable, but cathartic and healing. If you enjoyed the "Bloom" EP, I highly suggest diving into the rest of their discography. They've also got some shows coming up, so check and see if they're coming to a venue near you! Follow them on their socials below to keep on on their amazing journey. I don't see them stopping anytime soon.

Written By Kaitlyn Nicole

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