REVIEW: Are You Doing OK? – Hollie Rhiannon

Okay, this is a new one for me – this is Hollie’s first EP after releasing three singles.

Let me start of by saying this isn’t really within my target area for listening to new music.

I do have a wide taste from blues to indie to folk to grunge to rock to metal. Always joked that I’ll listen to anything with a guitar in it. Also, showing my age here, I still think of Green Day as being a fairly new band! No laughing at the back.

So when I received a link for Spotify (new fangled stuff) from Hollie asking if I could review her new EP I was a little concerned that I was a little out of touch and it just wouldn’t be my thing. Time to put on my big boy pants and have a listen.

I needn’t have worried about “getting” Hollie’s music – as good music really does cross boundaries and generations.

Everything is an Illusion, Nine and Lucida are glorious in their simplicity of production – it really lets the emotion in each song to shine through.

In this case Hollie’s voice is lifted and emphasised by the music, the mix is clear and everything works together perfectly.

Everything is an Illusion is about losing a friendship or realising what you thought was a deep friendship fades or you realise that it wasn’t really a friendship after all.

Nine is simply a song of remembrance, when the world was a better place at the age of nine and how if going back was possible there would be no hesitation.

Lucida is about loss and remembrance of a loved one.

Hollie says on her Instagram page that she is writing music about her feelings and “turning wounds into wisdom” and this is undoubtedly true.

All of her songs, including the singles that are also available, feel intimate, like she is baring a little of her inner hurt, hopefully as part of the healing process. The cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide is very good indeed and definitely done in her own style.

Anyone producing this quality of material both performing and writing is impressive, for a 26 year old from West Cumbria to be doing it reminds me of just how much musical talent we have in Cumbria and how lucky we are.

Among Hollie’s influences are Phoebe Bridgers, Daughter and Searows (not ashamed to say I had to look a couple up) and although you can definitely hear the similarities but Hollie’s style is very much her own.

As I listen to her songs going onto the sixth loop on repeat I am pleased that I got the chance to listen to this EP. I have enjoyed it a lot, there is a real connection with Hollie’s voice, the emotional connection is there, you can hear how personal these songs are and it’s simple.

I mean this in the most positive way, there is nothing detracting from the emotional connection the guitar (and drums in Everything is an Illusion) accompany her voice, adding to it rather than masking.

I can only advise you all to head over onto Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes or Deezer to have a listen.

Find her streaming outlet here and she can also be found on Facebook, Insta and Youtube.