Raine: ‘Raine’ EP review – Dark, heartfelt balladry
Far from trying to tell any story other than her own, Cork singer Lorraine Hogan, aka Raine’s, debut EP is full to the brim with heartfelt confessions of lust and resilience.
A record both sonically interesting and lyrically personal, ‘Raine’ shows the singer at her most vulnerable as she opens up about past relationship hurt, sadness, intimacy and inner strength.
Standout track ‘Breathe Me In’ manages to be both subtle and larger-than-life, pulsating with a London Grammar-esque beauty where Raine laments “a masterpiece of pleasure and pain/a beauty they can’t contain”. More seductive is ‘Honey Babe’ which, although similar in its sentiments of heartbreak, depicts the singer as more boisterous in the face of pain.
‘Wake Up’, a poignant ballad written about a friend who had fallen into a coma, cleverly mimics the flickers of a heartbeat while the singer pleas for life to be returned.
The final song ‘Burnt’ arguably portrays Raine at her most vulnerable, the track sensually recalling “the midnight hours, the naked showers” that litter the memory of a scorned lover.
The production indeed shines throughout the record, Raine’s tender vocals juxtaposed by a powerful combination of soaring strings and electronic drum beats which complement but never overpower.
A confident and accomplished release by a Cork artist clearly not afraid to bare her soul and draw off her own experiences, even those which left her burnt.
