BEING caught up in the seemingly never-ending A-to-B of constant commute and self-reflection is an all too familiar way of life within the music world, with inspirations often born out of lengthy touring schedules and unfamiliar surroundings. These are musings which lend themselves fittingly to Glasgow-based Jo Mango’s latest solo EP, Wrack Lines.
To aid her latest work, Jo enlisted the help of some of Scotland’s best singer-songwriters on the circuit. The five-track EP features collaborations with Rachel Sermanni, The Pictish Trail, RM Hubbert and Louis Abbott.
Upon first listen, this EP grasps the best that easy listening, solo female music has to give of late; offering an understated nod to the likes of Lianne La Havas and Hannah Miller, while adding another dimension through the range of vocal collaborations featured with the artists tracked over the 2015 festival season.
The standout track would have to be its opener; the almost weightless ‘Loneliness & Rhythm’ with Louis Abbott. Instantly grabbed by the 5/8 piano melody and striking resemblance to the soft opus’ of Dustin O’Halloran; straight away we are given a lengthy glimpse into the conceptual themes running through the EP of travel, solitude, sustainability and a need to reinvent – which this work does throughout.
It certainly doesn’t linger in the one place, musically, drifting from the melancholic – the folk – to the ambient to the experimental almost seamlessly. It is very much a ‘life on the road’ work, with the delicate lead vocals remaining the staple throughout. If there is such a thing as thoughtful relaxation, this EP would make an appropriate soundtrack.
Wrack Lines will be released on CD and digital format through Olive Grove Records on 15th January 2016. Jo Mango and the EP’s collaborators will perform a one-off show at Glasgow’s Platform on 21st January for Celtic Connections.