Album Review: Heart to Heart

This album begins with the mellow and mystical Heart to Heart. EmRiver uses beautiful counter melodies and a tambourine to make the listener feel like they are walking into a clearing in the forest. Her breathy lyrics and harmonies are optimistic and dreamy. Following Heart to Heart, we are introduced Wild Woman Dreams. The song seems to depict mother nature and describes her in whimsical metaphors. The production is creative, using the natural sounds of the outdoors to give colour and paint a picture. Wild Woman Dreams features a beautifully played flute, evoking the feeling of wood nymphs and water waifs.

Following a series of finger picked fairy music, the album build momentum with the more upbeat Coexist, which is more driven by the rhythm section. The song experiments with backing harmonies and preaches acceptance and respect. Coexist features another interesting instrumental line played, presumably, on a melodica. The moral of the song is very charming, encouraging people to “learn how to coexist”.

The album feels rooted in New Zealand, mentioning Pohutakawa and punctuating the ethereal soundscape with native birdsong and Te Reo Maori. EmRiver has a distinct and recognisable sound, which comes from years of developing herself as an artist. The album would be very effective for meditation or yoga, encouraging the listener to practice mindfulness and kindness through the hypnotic use of acoustic instruments.