Swallow Me is a compelling collection of weaved tales from Scottish songwriter Rachel Sermanni

If, on the other hand, you’ve not come across her work, do yourself a favour and listen to “Lay My Heart”, which doesn’t feature on these records, but might just be the most wholesome depiction of contentedness you’re ever likely to hear.

And so, as you would expect from such an accomplished storyteller, when life took an unexpected turn, Sermanni seized the opportunity to weave some tales from it.

This is how her latest EP Swallow Me came to be. It focusses on an unforeseen journey into what Sermanni describes as the “looming spectre” of motherhood, akin to the experience of a jellyfish in a storm. “Jellyfish go where the current flows. It takes courage to be passive. If you can accept everything, you can embody the jellyfish,” explains Sermanni.

What results is a thought-provoking and paradoxically charming collection of songs, chronicling a roller-coaster ride that encompasses the anxiety, fear, loss and joy Sermanni embraced along the way. Title track “Swallow Me” is smooth and breezy opener, but there are darker currents contained within “Travelled” and bittersweetness on “Brighton House”. Closing track “Love My Love” conveys uncertainty and finds a place as the most conceptual song on the EP, leaving the door open for the next chapter of her journey.

It’s a compelling listen and one which will provide comfort to many, regardless of the situation. A genuine diamond in the rough.