Some records are born from liminal spaces. That stillness before dawn and those calm, silent moments in which memory and nostalgia blur. Hear as the Mirror Echoes, the debut album from British artist herbal tea out August 29 via Orindal, is one such record.
Part of Bristol’s eclectic music scene, the staunchly DIY singer/songwriter (AKA Helena Walker) has built a dedicated following with her evocative home recordings and a slowly growing swell of word-of-mouth. Drawing on dream pop, ambient folk, shoegaze and lo-fi recording techniques, herbal tea creates a sound entirely her own, with every track belonging to its own distinct world.
To celebrate this announcement, herbal tea is today releasing the first single from the album, ‘Seventeen’.
One of Helena’s earliest self-recordings, the first of which she felt truly represented her, ‘Seventeen’ has been through several stylistic transformations since the original demo, a process that helped her and, collaborator and childhood friend, Henry C Sharpe (Sleep Radio) develop the overarching sound of the record.
Sonically the song is a lush, cinematic wall of noise combining hazy guitars, piano and synths with Helena’s dreamlike, layered vocals. It’s a tantalising glimpse into her universe.
“‘Seventeen’ was written whilst processing trauma, dissociation and a longing to feel free. I wrote the lyrics in a stream of consciousness. It was one of the first songs where I used songwriting and recording as a form of therapy.” Helena elaborates on the themes behind the single. “I held onto this song for years, but it was hard to get it to fit sonically. It went through so many versions until it finally captured the feeling of the demo. That process ended up sparking a domino effect for the sounds and textures that became the foundation of the entire album. There is a section halfway where the chaos stills and the piano and vocals re-emerge. It’s one of my favourite moments on the record.”
Hear As The Mirror Echoes:
- Seventeen
- Grounded
- Kitchen Floor (4 A.M.)
- Submarine
- Driving Slow
- Garden
- Frank
- Sundown
- Kara
