[Album Review] Mami Wata by Reuben's Daughters

The Ocelot’s Jessica Durston penned some thoughts after listening to the indie-pop album Mami Wata by the Bath-based Reuben’s Daughters, that was released back in April.

I think it’s fair to say this album takes you on a journey – let me tell you more.

Reuben Myles Tyghe’s relaxed vocals languidly make their way through this record like molasses rolling off a spoon, reflecting the laid-back summery feel to best part of the album. The softer, easy, vocals buried within the guitar sounds of ‘The Well’ and ‘Underwater Garden’ give the listener the illusion of being on an island or being swept away to some other secret escape.

There is a synergy to all the different instruments used, to create an all-encompassing pleasant result. In addition, the backing vocals heard on the earlier section of the album are carefully orchestrated to blend and create a bigger sound, and compliment Reuben’s leading voice seamlessly.

You’ll notice that earlier, I used the simile of molasses rather than honey – this is because molasses is darker than honey and as well as its bright poppy highlights, there is also an unexpected darkness to Mami Wata.

As a listener, you are led to believe that this recent project from Reuben’s Daughters is a light, sunny indie-pop venture, perfect for road trips or relaxing by the pool. And in regards to the tracks ‘The Well’ to ‘Messenger’, you would be right. These tracks - with the exception of the slightly more purposeful and overcast wailings of ‘Fragile Frame’ - build a house style for the album, and you feel you can put your finger on the artist, and categorise what you are hearing. The tracks flow well into each other, and each song feels like it is working to build up a set aural and visual aesthetic.

A stand-out for me within this section of the album would be ‘Those Eyes Can’t Lie to Me’. It’s a nice dreamy, swirling, pop number with laid back guitar riffs, that also showcases Reuben’s vocal range perhaps a little more than the other tracks.

However, there is a noticeable shift in tone through the last few songs on Mami Wata (from ‘Bundle of Love’ to the album’s title track itself) that left me not so sure about pigeon-holing Reuben’s Daughters as ‘summery indie-pop.’

The track ‘Bundle of Love’ uses some muttering backing vocals that are evocative of Kate Bush’s experimental The Ninth Wave, that was originally released as the second side to her Hounds of Love album. In particular, Reuben’s Daughters’ use of these low murmuring vocals on ‘Bundle of Love’ are reminiscent of the Bush tracks ‘Under Ice’ and ‘Waking the Witch.’ Whether or not the inspiration for this choice came from the popular 1985 release, I do not know – it was just what immediately came to my mind upon listening.

Following ‘Bundle of Love’ is ‘Everyday Sunday.’ A love song with a slightly more sombre melody that flows like the rivers and oceans that Reuben mentions within the lyrics. The song is like a wave that builds as it goes on, finally cresting with darker, louder, guitar distortion towards the end.

The titular track ‘Mami Wata’ closes the album. The distortion present in ‘Everyday Sunday’ can be found again here in the record’s final track – and along with it, my mind was drawn back to Kate Bush’s Ninth Wave. Bush described the concept of the Ninth Wave as telling the story of a person who has found themselves out in a body of water – completely alone. I found the last two tracks of Mami Wata conjured up similar images and told a similar story.

‘Mami Wata’ sits at 5:02 long and is distinctly different to everything else on the record. To the listener, it feels as if the sun has gone in, and it is now dusk on the beach (like the one featured in the album’s artwork by Phoebe Phillips) you were aurally placed on during the first half of the track list. These moodier songs make you feel as if you have drifted out to sea and have become submerged under the vast surf.

‘Everyday Sunday’ and ‘Mami Wata’ transcend into darker territory. Reuben’s lead vocals do not appear on the album’s final track – just female humming, lulling the audience like a siren, to the end of their listening experience. Both aforementioned tracks provide a more atmospheric, trippy and melancholic end to the record.

I recommend this album if you are looking for something more than just your average indie-pop outfit. Reuben also wrote, recorded, produced and mixed the album at Southgate Studios – which is no mean feat and deserves recognition. Mami Wata of course also features a host of other musicians who helped to create the calm chaos and cacophony that is ultimately the album’s unique selling point.

In short – like I said at the beginning, if you are looking to be taken on a journey with a record – pick up Mami Wata by Reuben’s Daughters.

 

More information about Reuben’s Daughters can be found at

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reubens_daughters/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reubensdaughters/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrK8sfintLPvyQbC5_i7PYQ