Harley Hulme aka Petro is a singer/songwriter/producer from Sydney, Australia who recently released Club Insincere. Club Insincere is his first full length and a follow up to his first EP entitled Skin & Bone.
Hulme says, “Each song off of this album represents a different personality archetype that I've found either in people I know or myself.” After reading this I was expecting a full range of emotions. The album's emotional foundation however is almost entirely built on a reflective melancholy. It’s warm and I actually liked that it stayed in a certain mood because it made it more cohesive. That being said it just wasn’t what I was expecting having read the concept because it seems like the mood remains uniform. It felt like I was reading the lyrics of one person who is struggling with depression, anxiety and loneliness. There are some great songs on this release and certainly to my ears displays an artist who is evolving. The music is very dramatic and at points reminded me of the group The Antler as well as Perfume Genius. The first song “Fade Away” is built on long pads and dubstep type beats not too far away from James Blake. There is a lot of space in the mix and you can hear a lot of nuance in his voice. The hook is memorable. I thought the lyrics matched the mood. He sings “Oh, I know / no-one ever / really stays / So, Just go / cause I'd rather / fade away.” Up next is “Emerald Eyes” and he sings really well on this song especially when he goes into falsetto. The song combines piano, pads, orchestral strings and a deep electronic drum beat. “Hide and Seek” was a highlight. I loved the xylophone and the sample of the kids laughing was down right haunting. You get some rare guitar action on “Distance” which also happens to have some really catchy vocal melodies. “Rain (Interlude)” is exactly what it sounds like. It’s followed by “Her” and “i'm not in pain, i'm just tired” which reinforce his signature sound. “On Your Side” is a killer track which reminded me of “All I Need” by Radiohead. The melancholy continues with “Blame” and “Another Human.” This is an emotionally heavy album. Hulme’s songwriting and delivery is the best I’ve heard from him. Take a listen.
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