Sound of the Sirens – For All Our Sins

Folk | Pop

72%

There are few things in music as moving or as magical as two voices ringing out together in perfect harmony. The Exeter-based dynamic duo of Abbe Martin and Hannah Wood come together to create a warm and inviting world, their angelic voices spiralling around in perfect synchronicity like two falcons cartwheeling in courtship. The two of them have crafted an honest and invigorating pop record. Tracks like ‘Together Alone’, with its nods to the likes of KT Tunstall, show them working together at their best and making the kind of pop music so many of us long for, but all too rarely find. For All Our Sins is an assured and likeable debut, but still leaves plenty of room for them to grow. They are one of the few acts to emerge recently to have that indescribable universal appeal. I don’t care who you are; if you’re reading this wondering if you will like Sound of the Sirens, the answer is a resounding yes.

Though the vocals take centre stage, there are a few interesting little moments to keep things varied and interesting. Opening track ‘Smokescreen’ has some flourishes of flamenco to add some drive and passion, while ‘Chaos’ and ‘In This Time’ throw some mandolin into the mix, which on the latter song adds a celtic vibe. The only real misstep is ‘The Voices’. While it carries an important message about mental health and the unfortunate stigma attached to it, the song itself feels out of place on the album. Granted, the album is nothing groundbreaking and there are better examples of this style out there, but it’s a very enjoyable listen and something the two of them should be proud of. These sirens aren’t quite worth crashing onto the rocks for, but you’d need a heart of stone not to be somewhat lured in by such beautiful songs.