By Libby Driscoll

After the release of his two debut singles ‘London’s Requiem’ and most recently ‘Regretamine’, Louis Dunford releases ‘The Morland EP’. Already putting his heart on the line with his debut releases, Dunford shows an advanced approach in honestly addressing raw and taboo subjects within his lyrics.

The well received ‘London Requiem’ fittingly opens ‘The Morland EP’. Poignant piano chords lead the track which authentically reveals the dark underbelly of London city. Eloquently acknowledging the reality of knife crime, drug abuse and austerity, the lyrics, “No kind words spoken, but you die alone and broken, is the fate of the poor. Cause the drugs are a healer on every corner a dealer”, shows a delicately raw approach to the harsh realism of those among us. With only piano chords, natural vocals, strings and subtle textural synths, the restricted instrumentation does in fact achieve a fully rounded sound.

‘When We Were Hooligans’ sees Dunford take a lighter and more ironic approach to the music. With a similar attitude to that of a young Jamie T, the reminiscent track explores both sides of nostalgia. The lines, “But still nostalgia makes me sick, I feel I’ve grown up far too quick”, shares the shock we all feel when we’re reminded of how quickly our time has flown, whilst also blissfully recalling the more laughable times, “all the birds are throwing up, chardonnay in plastic cups dressed like it’s prom night, but they’re pissing in the park and it’s only eight”. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics see Dunford’s humour shine through whilst he sees the irony in him and his friends being ‘delinquent little shits’.

Travelling to a much darker side of his past, ‘Ballad of Benjamin’ is an ode to the tragic death of a teenage friend, Ben. What feels most haunting about this track is Dunford’s ability to project the imagery of the lyrics into your head, showing both the emotive power and sheer talent for storytelling the singer-songwriter holds. In an almost juxtaposed way, light but melancholic pop chords are played on the guitar whilst the resurgence of textured soundscapes wrap themselves around the music like wind. Switching to the first person and addressing Ben, Dunford sings, “I was there when you fell to your knees, and I held you in my arms and we collapsed upon the street”. Recalling the traumatic event, Dunford doesn’t sugar-coat the agony that arises from knife crime, letting us know that the pain is well and truly real.

Already proving popular with fans, ‘Regretamine’ is placed penultimately in the EP listing. Dunford’s vernacular southern vocals accompanied by a gently picked acoustic guitar revisit his past of drug abuse and falling into a K-Hole as a result of overdosing on Ketamine. Dunford uses informal slang when mentioning a variety of substances which, despite the dangerous nature of them, creates almost a relaxed atmosphere around the lyrics, encouraging the dark imagery of the track to ignite. The contrast between the song’s calming instrumentation and lyrical content feels very much like travelling through a dysphoric memory, revisiting the animated lawlessness from the comfort of a safer place.

Closing the journey of ‘The Morland EP’ is ‘Hello Depression’. ‘Hello Depression’ is a brutal ballad voicing the reality of suffering from the illness, the kind of song you can truly feel settling in your chest. Exhibiting the cat-and-mouse reality of being continually caught and released by the grips of depression, Dunford acknowledges this and still looks positively towards the future, “So I’ll accept and embrace that you’re part of my mind, I surrender myself cause I know that in time I’ll be better, you’re never forever”. The glow of resonant piano chords and the warmth of the strings section encapsulate the familiarity Dunford has with the feeling; numb yet somewhat hopeful.

Though the instrumentation is limited throughout the tracks, the turbulent display of remorse, sorrow, sympathy and warmth comes plentiful. ‘The Moorland EP’ feels like a cataclysmic burst of therapeutic release for Louis Dunford, facing demons and hardships of the past in order to face the future a stronger individual. The advanced and haunting talent of Dunford’s song writing is profoundly impressive, and is by far one of the most substantial debut EPs I have heard in a very long time.

Save The Morland EP here: https://smarturl.it/TheMorlandEP

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