Catherine Elms unleashes a cathartic masterpiece with album, "Bring in the Wild"
On Bring in the Wild, Catherine Elms doesn’t just release an album, she conjures an emotional exorcism wrapped in a sonic odyssey. The Welsh alternative artist, already being lauded for her singles "Medusa" and "Brutal Heart," has delivered a full-length statement that feels less like a collection of songs and more like a mirror held up to the untamed corners of the human psyche.
Over twelve tracks, Elms leads listeners through a meticulously crafted journey of self-discovery, where displaced emotions like anger, jealousy, desire, self-pity aren’t shunned but welcomed as vital teachers.
Musically, Bring in the Wild is as expansive as its themes. Elms weaves together a lush tapestry of sound that blurs the lines between genres, infusing her alternative rock core with glitchy electronic flourishes at times, moody cinematic textures, and moments of raw, unfiltered grit. The production is massive, often creating walls of sound that envelop the listener like a flood. Yet, within that immensity, she masterfully plays with dynamics, knowing exactly when to let her vocals pierce through the mix.
The album’s pacing is meticulously constructed. Tracks ebb and flow between fast-paced bursts of energy and sultry, slow-burning introspection. One moment, you’re caught in a swirl of driving percussion, and the next, you’re floating in a sparse soundscape where every breath and note feels intentional. For us, our personal standouts were “Brutal Heart”, “If Destroyed Still True”, and “I Want”.
Vocally, Elms is a chameleon. Her voice can be hidden in the undercurrent of a dense mix, only to emerge with a striking clarity that cuts straight through the fog. It’s a deliberate choice that reflects the album’s emotional architecture. She harnesses this push and pull throughout, creating an experience that feels immersive and deeply personal.
Lyrically, Bring in the Wild reads like a confessional, but it avoids the pitfall of navel-gazing. Elms isn’t just telling her story rather she’s tapping into a collective emotional language, navigating feelings that are universally felt but often unspoken. The result is an album that resonates on a gut level, where the personal becomes profound.
With this release, Catherine Elms has crafted a true “album experience”, which nowadays, feels a rare feat in the era of playlist-driven listening. Through our listen, we couldn’t help but feel sucked in a way that stopped the world around us and allowed to really listen in and feel what she’s putting out. For you though, we urge you to take the time to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for more by clicking those links below!
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