Rachel@Fairyland delicately offers a snapshot into the life of Rae Morris

Penning narratives behind the comfort of her keyboard, Morris’ prestige far preceeds her as she boasts collaborations with Fryars, Bombay Bicycle Club and Clean Bandit, as well as scoring a top ten album with her debut record Unguarded.

From the wispy musings of “Closer” to the titillating upbeat soundscapes found prevalent in “Do It”, Rae Morris has thoroughly covered all bases throughout her career so far, and her latest album, Rachel@Fairyland is no different. Set with the intention of blending “textural hi-fi music with strings and orchestral sound”, Morris’ latest delve into thematic earworms is a welcome addition to her glowing discography. With Rachel@Fairyland, Morris revisits her past and toys with nostalgia through apparent sentimentality and toe-dips into romanticism through off-kilter baroque pop, veined with her staple electro-infused sound.

Preceded by two single releases, the delicate “Go Dancing” (ft Fryars) and raw openness of “Every Woman Is An Island”, Morris’ newfound freedom and overt honesty throughout the record were evident from the get-go.

Paying homage to her hometown of Blackpool, “Spitting From The Top” is set from the peak of the iconic tower, as she walks through childhood memories of adventuring with her family, where “The Carrot” takes on a more mature subject matter in socialism. Using surreal arrangements with delicately layered harmonies accompanied by almost fun-fair-esque electronic effects, Morris laments on the deprivation found throughout her hometown and the important of unity (“And we could all sing together if we tried”) in fighting against the capitalist structure of society.

Taking a more romantic approach, cuts such as “Skyscraper Love and “Better Man” lament on her run-ins with love, where “Low Brow” marks and celebrates her place in the LGBTQ+ community in a deliciously off-kilter number. With “Morning Isn’t Morning”, however, Morris laments on loss with the poetically penned “Waking up is hard to do / ‘Cos I’m so used to waking up with you”, in a heartache filled ballad overflowing with emotion.

At eleven tracks long, Rachel@Fairyland is a mature sonic offering from Morris, and comes teeming with lush vocals, delicately arranged instrumentation and poetic lyricism that offer snapshots into the life and times of the Blackpool native.