Emilie Khan - 'Outro' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Swimmer

2. Island

3. Three

4. Will You?

5. Aquarium

6. Horse

7. Don't

8. Never Good Enough

9. Seeking

The opening track, 'Swimmer', has an ethereal feel to it. It's slow and soothing. The vocals wash over you and pull you in. If you don’t like soft and gentle this is not the album for you. It is, however, perfect late night or chilling music.

The second track, 'Island', has a slightly more insistent rhythm to it, but even that clearly has the intention of slipping inside your head in a gentle and relaxing manner. Once it’s in you realise that the lyrics are more challenging than you first suspect. There is a sense of someone at a real crossroads in their life looking for the person they care about to offer them the anchor they really need. The music gains some more drive with the third track, called, obviously, 'Three'. At this point I started to realise that I was really enjoying this album.

Then just when you think the pace has been picked up it slows right down again I don’t think it ever gets out of second gear, but it doesn’t need to.

From this point on it becomes obvious that Emilie Khan is not trying to make music people will dance to or even sign along to but, instead, music people can sit back, listen to and let it wash over them. It's music that insists you need to do just that, to sit back, stop what you’re doing and actually listen. It's not disposable and it's not throwaway, it's designed to worm its way in and provide you with a new friend to cherish in the few brief moments you chill out and let the world happen somewhere else.

My only concern for this album is whether, in this increasingly disposable age, will enough people take the time to stop and listen? I don’t know but if you want music that slowly creeps its way in and makes you feel better for hearing it, look no further. If you want a driving beat or something that makes you want to dance, move on, this is not for you.

This is beautiful music with lyrics that demand you actually listen. If it's your thing I can’t recommend it enough.