Joshua Murphy – Lowlands (EP – Aufnahme + Wiedergabe)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Folk, Chanson.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Joshua Murphy is an Australian artist who lives in Berlin (Germany). The official debut EP “Lowlands” features four songs which have been written in Berlin.
Content: The sound universe of this artist is clearly driven by darkness. The songs are composed with guitar and piano arrangements with some melancholic violin-sounds on top. The artist’s deep, timbre of voice reminds me to Leonard Cohen.
+ + + : This work took me by surprise. First there’s the hypnotice and somewhat bewitching voice of Joshua Murphy. But next there’s the way he matches this cavernous and yet sexy voice together with dark, dreamy, Chanson compositions. Some passages make me think of ‘film-noir’. I like the melancholia hanging over the work. There’s something to say about each song but I’ve a little preference for “The Fault Was Lain There Too”.
– – – : When you’re listening to a little sonic jewel like “Lowlands” you can only but regret it’s just an EP. I hope there’ll be an album soon.
Conclusion: “Lowlands” sounds as a sweet, dark, sonic caress in a grey sky…
Best songs: “The Fault Was Lain There Too”, “A Twon With No Fear”, “The Killing Floor”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/JoshuaMurphyMusik
Label: www.aufnahmeundwiedergabe.de / www.facebook.com/aufnahmeundwiedergabe
About Joshua Murphy
Joshua Murphy is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter born and raised in outback Australia who relocated to Berlin, where he became active in the local scene as a band member, promoter and club owner. His debut EP “Lowlands” was written in Berlin during 2019 and 2020, produced by Martin J Fiedler, and released via aufnahme + wiedergabe on 2 December 2022, reviewed here. Murphy is also involved in the projects Crime and the City Solution, MILK ME and Total Temporary.
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