Audio visual artist and performer Ruby Tingle last week released her first solo EP Lagoons, in conjunction with her public exhibition at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery. As a multi disciplinary artist, Ruby works with progressive electronica in Manchester as well as exhibiting at galleries such as The Saatchi and Manchester Art Gallery, whilst also being one half of cinematic bass act Dirty Freud.
Ruby’s solo music mixes natural sound processes and an impressive range of vocals that turn out as original, experimental and dreamy “music from the swamp”. The lead single and opening track, ‘Flood‘ explores the romance of dancing alone at night in an imagined wetlands, whilst desiring connection with someone else.. The beat is pure pop whilst the soaring ethereal vocals have more than a touch of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights about them. It’s an intriguing opener and leaves the listener with a definite desire to hear more.
However, if you think you know the direction of the rest of the four tracks, you would be mistaken; each of them has its own distinct sound, every one an individualised gem. These remaining tracks are based around Warrington Museum’s collection of amphibians and reptiles, and Ruby’s lifelong connection with these collections. ‘Coil‘ has the lightest of touches, a seductive sound that indeed coils around the lyrics and melody, blending into the dreamy tones of ‘Glasshouse‘, where Ruby’s vocals become much deeper, showcasing her startling voice range.
‘Lagoons‘ is the penultimate track and has a sharp focus that perfectly matches the danceability. It is a striking antidote to the final track, ‘Subkingdom‘. with its dark echoing sound of the subterranean. Here, Ruby’s vocals become rich and velvety, meaning that the EP is bookended by two completely different yet amazing vocal performances. I can’t ait to see what Ruby Tingle does next.
Ruby’s advice to aspiring musicians is to
“Always strive to make music that you yourself would want to listen to – if you can hear things in your head that no other music can quite satisfy, then fill that gap and make it happen for yourself.”
Lagoons was released on 25 February on No Such Thing Records. Get your copy here.
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