From the opening sounds of this EP you are treated to folk art beauty that is honest and pure, music that clearly has been crafted from a deep desire to deliver emotive music that is acoustically beautiful yet powerful and meaningful. This EP comprises of 4 stunning songs all of which are written and produced by Declan Ramsey, in fact other than some backing vocals from Rose Ramsey it’s all his work, and the result is majestic music with great fidelity and sentiment.
There is beautiful guitar played with crisp finger work, and lovely soaring synth, but the highlight is Declan’s clear and expressive vocals that rips into your heart, with its honest and soulful beauty, as in the opening track Collidescope where you are instantly drawn to the feeling in the song by the expressive vocal serenade. A straightforward and clear vocal with strong harmonies and cool synth and guitar is delivered in the smooth Lay You Down where there is no hiding behind loud instrumentation or aural effects, the true and tender sound is stark and real, but always agreeable.
Our Great Escape builds with intensity first with crisp guitar picking and then rhythmic strumming, with haunting layered vocal harmonies adding to the effect. Lullabies starts with birds chirping and a sweet nursery tune that leads into an interesting spoken bedtime story telling segment which sounds so charming, how it then seamlessly bursts into a powerful and fast rhythmic section is surprising and very uplifting.
Overall a very enjoyable EP with soulful folk music that tantalises your senses and evokes good feelings, the title may sound grim but there is nothing Dark about this music, highly recommended.
The Lucid Effect is the performing alias for Declan Ramsay, a London native by-way-of New Plymouth. Putting out his first EP when he was just 17, he has developed as he released a debut album before leaving high school, and several EPs since.
Debuting as The Lucid Effect in 2012 with the release of EP Shakes & Shivers, The Lucid Effect has been performing around Wellington, sharpening his songwriting and his performing chops. His sophomore EP as The Lucid Effect, I Came From A Dark Place was released in August 2015 and is being supported with a North Island tour.
Straddling the line between singer-songwriter and full-on rock, The Lucid Effect has to be experienced to be believed. Aggressive, melodic and vibrant, The Lucid Effect sound is full of intense energy, using live looping to create walls of sound, and is not to be missed.