Lutine - White Flowers

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 14 / 11 / 2014

Label: Front and Follow
Format: CD

Fragile but hauntingly beautiful and magical debut album from Lutine, the project of Brighton-based duo Emma Morton and Heather Minor

Review

Gosh; this shut me up for quite a while. Hauntingly beautiful whilst at the same level exuding an angelic anxiety, Lutine's fragile debut LP is a genuine pleasure. The Brighton-based duo's debut LP 'Wild Flowers' has impressive moments of subdued but melodic folktronica, which alternately veer towards again becoming outright folkpop evergreens. Emma Morton and Heather Miles' close-harmony singing reaches heights unknownst of before. A much telling line from 'Synnove' - track number three off the album - reads: "The darkest day in winter and the waters turn into ice." The warmth radiating from Heather and Emma's music, however, nourishes this snowdrop of an album. The seemingly distant vocals plus the calm and composure in the music merge in a way close to the sublime. In all its brightness, Lutine's debut proves to be a true treasure. The piano-driven compositions can't decide between jazz or folk. As a result Lutine dwindles; to such great effect; as if in a cocoon. On 'Died of Love', Lutine show off both divine and religious qualities. That uneasiness though remains. 'Come Wander', which follows, is compellingly disorientating. "Do you have a tree to plant me a forest?" is their plea. It was a siren who told me this album is like magic. Pure magic, perhaps outdated within two decades, you tell me.