Recorded in isolation in Australia, the new album from Hana Stretto is a special record. Tiarn is by turns ambient and dream-pop, with Stretton's voice gently nudging some of this material forward. At its best, this record creates a world you can get lost in for a bit.
"Salt" is a whispered song, half-sung and then left to expire, while "Stove" is precise and glacial, an icy march into the sea. Stretton made this in Australia, at a bit of a remove from most other people, and the album has the vibe of someone coming to terms with stillness and silence. The gorgeous "Stay Involved" is simple, a hook built upon what sounds like multi-tracked vocals and a synth loop. It's elegant and haunting. Even better is the dream-like "As It Was Before This" where Stretton's voice sounds like it's coming from a tape of a record being played, and a plucked guitar punctuates the track. It's very much its own mood and very compelling. The lopsided lullaby of "Whale" lingers in the memory too.
Tiarn is one of those albums that is meant to be heard as a cohesive work. Hana Stretton makes wonderfully personal music, but in this very specific portrait of her isolation in Australia is something that retains a kind of universal sense of peace, tranquility, and calm. This isn't New Age but something else, something which is both barely there and fully realized at the same time. If you're a fan of the Lia Kohl releases, you'll likely find this as wonderfully engrossing as this reviewer did. Highly recommended.
Tiarn by Hana Stretton is out on Friday. Details below.
[Photo: Zoe Karouzos]