TRACK REVIEW: Austel - Lost at Home

TRACK REVIEW:

Austel

Lost at Home

9.4/10

The track, Lost at Home, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4PCVJTLPOZ2yeRxy6JMiSJ

GENRE:

Alternative

ORIGIN:

Devon, U.K.

The E.P., Unfold, is available via:

https://open.spotify.com/album/16dJFeSLTV8TACV4fjwrXB

RELEASE DATE:

20th July, 2018

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THIS time around…

I will look at some sides of music I have not touched on before. I want to look at music that documents leaving safe places and going somewhere unknown; E.P.s/albums and why the format needs to be celebrated more; being able to find solace and a sense of identity in music; artists who can take life events and common themes and turn them into something fantastic – I will end by looking at Austel and where she might head in the next few years. The reason I am keen to look at Austel is because of the subjects she brings into her new E.P., Unfold. I am in the position of moving from home and going up to the city (Manchester). It is hard making a shift and leaving something behind that seems comfortable and going somewhere new. The challenge (is having) to deal with leaving one form of life and moving to another. It can be quite hard leaving things behind and adapting to a very new way of life. I have got to the point because I need the opportunity of the city and the variety of people – going somewhere that offers a lot more life and a different way of life. There is always something a bit scary about the unknown and embracing something unfamiliar. What I am finding nervous is stepping somewhere that is new and I have not been that often. One needs guidance and words to say that things will be okay and it will all work out. It will work out, of course, but it is tough uprooting – even if you are very unhappy – and going somewhere new. Austel investigates leaving home and going to the city. One of the reasons why she has been in such productive mood is changes and having to enter a new phase of life. She investigates heartache and coming out of a long-term relationship; facing the world on her own and knowing, in the end, that there are positives and the change is good.

A lot of music doesn’t really touch on areas that are relevant to people like you and me. There is still too much reliance on relationships alone and something that is quite insular and personal. You can get something from music about broken love but, if you are not in the same position and have not been through the same thing, it is difficult relating and the music only does so much. I like artists that think outside of their own box and look at a wider world. Austel has, as she says, been looking to move to the city and desires that buzz. I think every artist gets into the position, if they are outside the city, where they need that community and rush. If you are in a quiet place or somewhere where you feel alienated; you are always going to pine for something that is different and wonderful. I am not sure whether she has found a good place in the city – I assume so – but that decision to break from the familiar and safe and get somewhere else has rooted in me. My situation is different but the circumstances are the same: wanting to be in a place that is more ‘me’ and thriving. Austel’s new music, especially Lost At Home, gives that sort of strength and insight that I can relate to. When I talked about artists who speak of love and the pains of it; I was being a little harsh. It is good to hear musicians being personal but there is something great when you listen to songs that look at other aspects. Austel has dealt with a lot and going through transformations. Going into the unknown is always risky and scary but, when you get there, you’ll find there is support and people who think like you. I have never really spent a lot of time living on my own away from home but it is a time when I need to take a chance and go somewhere I feel enriched and motivated. There is always the gamble of things not working out and having to come back – the city is busy with chances and work, so one can get their footing easily enough.

I wanted to look at the whole of Unfold but, as my rules are rules, I can only do the one song. I will look at Lost at Home later and what it means to me but, before then, I will look at the E.P./album and something fuller. We have a national day celebrating the album coming up very soon. I think we all get into the assumption music, now, is digital and disposable. Most of us like to access a lot of music but how often do we drink in an entire album and take time to digest it?! I wonder whether we allow ourselves enough time to listen to music in a real way with all the choice in front of us. We are bombarded with music and options so, naturally, it is hard to absorb what we have and let it linger in the mind. I have been following music since I was a child and have seen a change – going from someone who used to listen to albums all the time to someone who listens to singles more. I want to listen to albums more and spend time really getting into music. I think there is a lot of benefit assessing the complete statement of an artist and taking the time to study their work. You only get a slight impression of who they are by picking the odd song (from an album). Austel has released a great E.P. that tells a whole story. It might be ironic that I am mentioning this point – given the fact I am reviewing one song – but the Unfold E.P. is a complete view of where Austel is and how things are working out. There are doubts and strained relationships but that outcome: things will work out and there is light and revelation at the end. If you listen to a couple of songs; you get a rather distorted and unbalanced view of the E.P. I am not sure whether she is bringing out an album sometime but I am interested seeing how her life pans out and what comes next.

What strikes me is how emphatic and confident Austel sounds. One would not get the impression she was wrestling with doubts and trying to work life out. I think, having listened to the E.P., she has faced some tough questions and challenges but transitioned well. The heroine knows where she wants to go and has found rebirth by taking a big step. You can get that impression speaking to her but, as most of us do not have access to Austel, the music is the only way we can find out what she is about. Music is the personality and conversation from the artist. If we are only half-listening or skipping over parts; how are we to get a rounded and full vision of who they are? The artist puts a lot of time and money into recording E.P.s. If you make an album, for instance, you want people to listen to every song and not just handpick the odd song. It is difficult committing a lot of time to an individual work. I feel the reason why music has come a long way and managed to inspire the masses is because of the generation who listened to whole albums. The best bands and artists from all time would not be in our minds if we only listened to singles or the odd scrap. Modern music has a lot of positives but I feel, unless we allow more time to listen to music properly, we are not going to remember artists and stick with older sounds. Maybe we are all busier than before but something else is going on. My point is, when you allow time to listen to a full work; you get a much more vivid impression of an artist and understand what they are about. That is what one gets when you hear Austel and her new E.P. She is one of those artists who compels one to listen carefully and dive into the E.P. You hear the varied songs and all the different emotions fusing and contorting.

I have mentioned relating to music and artists like Austel – how her situation and realisations can provide guidance to me. One of the other reasons why I wanted to look at Austel and her talent is the way I can find a sense of identity. She has, as I have said, decided to relocate to the city and has faced heartache. I have not been in the position where I have faced heartbreak – not too good-looking and popular; merely a bit pathetic – but I am going through that change. What strikes me is how heavy and complicated it can be to move. Shifting your life and fitting in somewhere else can be desirable and much-needed but, when you are planning it, there is a lot to sort out. They say moving house is one of the most stressful things one can do – if you do that alone then it can be even worse. I have not come across many people who have gone through the same situation so it is hard to see how it will work out and what the future holds. Music, in a compositional sense, can provide some uplift and sense of meaning. You can take some direction from songs that generally look at making changes and extrapolate from that. Songs that directly talk about what you are going through are much more powerful. Look at Austel and where she is now and there are those who can relate and root for her. In many ways, hearing her sing and seeing those words come to life makes me feel less alone and provides some direction. I can identify with what she is going through and I can connect on a deeper level. It is rather wonderful being able to understand an artist and what their life is about when you have never met them. How many of us listen to music now and can get a real sense of togetherness and identity? By that, I mean listen to an artist and we feel like we’re one of the same.

I will move onto new things in a bit I wanted to encourage people to listen to the Unfold E.P. and drink it all its notes. There is a story arc and a real sense of development from the first notes to the last. Many of you, if you give it time and dedication, will find familiarity and be able to connect with the music. Maybe you will not get a profound a reaction as me but there is every chance you will feel less confused or alone – more enlightened and educated at the very least. Austel has combined her background is Jazz and Indie and created something heady and detailed. The musicianship and nuance you get in every song is remarkable. What hit me hardest was the exceptional lyrics and how Austel’s voice highlights and emphasises every note. She has worked on various projects and had a good range of live experiences. Recorded during stolen weekends and evenings in Peckham; the E.P. sounds like it is a young woman embarking on new challenges and rooted in the city. I have been a little worried about my choices but feel refreshed and safer when listening to Austel. She has a brought future ahead and has made the right decision. There are a lot of people dealing with heartache and changes in life – how many of them actually document them in a fresh and inspired way? I feel Austel take a new angle and combines catharsis and fear without being too heavy-handed. You get revelation and honesty but there is intrigue and enigma to be found. The young artist has asked some serious questions and is ready to tackle the next stage of her life. Given the ambition she has and the music she puts out; it is understandable she would want to be in the city and have that opportunity to properly flourish. I shall move on and look at one of Unfold’s songs that warrant wider explanation and investigation.

Lost at Home starts life with echo, entice and beauty. There is far-away vocals and an atmosphere that beckons you in. It is a rather moody and smoke-filled beginning that projects images of classical literature. That seems odd but there is a definite sense of an ill-fated heroine and a dramatic scene. I got the view of a fireplace and a darkened room; windy conditions outside and the smell of dust in the air. When Austel comes to the microphone; her voice, at once, buckles the knees and possesses that immense beauty. She is someone in the shadows and trying to move on from where she is. You get a real sense there is emotional weight and questions heavy on her shoulders. She is tired of the darkness and someone who yearns for the flames. I got the sense, at once, that darkness and sense of unhappiness were in relation to where she is now. She is at home and is not really reacting to what is around her. Maybe life is boring or she feels alien around people she is familiar with. There is not a lot of life and action here and there’s that desire to get into the city and the light. One hears real emotion and a fatigue coming from the heroine. She is retreating from touch and wants someone to open the door and let her get out. That need for escape and embrace is evident. You listen to the song and the way the words are delivered and you can hear the emotion. The song is never too heavy and foreboding at any stage. You do not feel suffocated or unhappy listening to the track. Instead, there is that feeling you are with someone who is reaching out and trying to bring you into their world. Knowing the song is about moving and rooting from home; it is understandable there is a sense of fear and unhappiness. The heroine has spent a long time here and it is time to move on.

Our heroine feels overruled and silent when she is at home. Maybe there is a sense of feeling smaller and not really being happy. Perhaps there is little opportunity and vibrancy that has dampened her mood and made her yearn for the city. Beats come in to accompany piano and soothing vocals. I want to know more about Austel and where she is heading and, in Lost at Home, you get a vivid and descriptive sense of what is making her tick. That feeling of being suffocated and overlooked is forcing changes and big decisions. Many others have noted how powerful and stunning Austel’s voice is. She manages to make her words both sensitive and strident without too much effort. A natural and instinctive performer who can bring the listener into her world; you are drawn into the scene and follow Austel. She has been struggling with doubts and looking to the wider world for a long time now. It is time to get out and go somewhere she feels freer and understood. The rooms she lives in are not her own and the bad mood she is in is causing problems. The chorus stretches the vocals and brings the biggest emotional hit. Austel is explaining her situation and why she needs to get away. With excellent production and a wonderful composition; the listener is treated to a song that gets into the heart and ears. You keep coming back to Lost at Home and discovering new sides. The lyrics stick out because there are no clichés and disguised sentiments. Austel is honest and open with her language and does not talk down to the listener. She never pushes anyone away at any stage: the music brings you right in; the words reach out and get into the soul. I am fascinated by the song and have taken a lot from it. She does not want to feel safe and honed. The heroine wants to stop feeling crap – she is slowly shrinking and wasting – and rotting away. There are dramatic words and descriptions that highlight how tormented and lost she is right now. Given the emotion and situation she is in; I can understand why she wants to get away and embark on a trek to the city. By the end of the song, you feel enriched but drained. That is not a slight at all. Lost at Home is a very personal song but there is something in there anyone can understand. I felt some semblance of relatability and common sense. It is an extraordinary effort from Austel and proof she is among the very best young artists out there. The songwriter has hit new peaks and created a song (and E.P.) that stands out and remains in the mind. Make sure you hear the song and spend time listening to the Unfold E.P. I keep coming back to Lost at Home and all the different strands. The swelling and luscious composition; the brilliant production and incredible vocals; combine with the vivid and memorable lyrics and you have a song that ticks all the boxes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Magda Wrzeszcz Photography

I think Austel will have a very busy and active next few years. Right now, she has moved from home and is embarking on a rather scary (but good) change. She has thought long and hard about her choices and has decided to take the step. One gets tales of ruined love and questioning but, in the end, there is that sense of light and change. It is wonderful to see Austel in a happier place and letting her wings unfold. I know there will be gigs coming up and chances to see Austel play live. Look at her social media channels and find out where she is heading. I am looking at the reviews coming in for Unfold and it seems like people are reacting to it really strong. That is great to see but does not surprise me at all. We are all seeing music change and it becoming a lot more disposable. I worry we are overlooking artists and not giving them a proper appreciation. Maybe streaming and digital music mean there is too much choice and it is impossible dedicating proper time to an E.P./album. Austel is one of those artists who encourages listeners to look at her entire work and not hurry past. You can listen to a song and appreciate it but, if you move to another artist (without looking at what else she has done) then you are missing out. There are many reasons why you all need to listen to Unfold and not be too hurried – there are lessons and insights we can all learn from. The young songwriter seems perfect for London and what is coming out of the city. I think working and recording in an area like Peckham is really sound. South London is really flourishing and it seems some of the best artists in modern music and based there. It is a fascinating and vibrant corner of the world with a mix of nationalities, vistas and sounds.

Austel has vibed from all the activity and variation there and created something immense. I know she will love the city and find a natural home there. One of the good things about being based in London is all the like-minded humans who can help you out. She has the chance to bond with other musicians and hone her talents. She can get some performance experience and play a range of different venues. As much as anything, she has a lot of opportunity at her feet and will never be bored. It is exciting watching her enter a new stage of life and attack it head-on. I think next year will be one where big gigs arrive and the best days of her career come. She has come a long way and evolved as an artist since the early days. It is a great and productive time for her right now. I feel she will draw in a lot more fans and get some big gigs in a few months. Lots of new people who are discovering her music are spreading the world and there is some heat heading her way. I shall end the review now but it has been great listening to Austel and Lost at Home. That song seemed most relevant to me and delivers a lot of truths. It is a fantastic offering from an E.P. that is so full of activity and life. Make sure you listen to Unfold and see where Austel is right now. She is a brilliant young artist who is going to be in the music industry for many years to come. I have been seeking some comfort and guidance this week and, with Austel, that has arrived. I am compelled to follow her career and where is going to step next. If you want to find a musician who goes deeper and further than most out there; have a listen to the brilliant Austel and you will find an artist that…