Emily Jane White - They Moved In Shadow All Together

Darkness always holds some sort of meaning, regardless of what light is shined upon it (or lack thereof, rather). Emily Jane White uses her distinct brand of dreamy, dark folk in her new album They Moved In Shadow All Together to take you on a revealing journey of your inner self. It's a truly cleansing experience to listen to this record.

This album isn't dark folk in the reign of Chelsea Wolfe; this album does not condemn humanity or sound like darkness is swallowing you. It feels more like your running into a pale horizon as the darkness slowly trails behind you, taking memories and dreams with you. It's beautifully put together, beautiful harmonies and slowly trudging instrumentals making the music resonate through your core. The albums also flow gently like a calm sea, 'Pallid Eyes' especially feels like it has a calm sway to it. 'Antechamber' has it's own type of presence, its soaring harmonies contrasting the dark instrumental that has a odd optimism in it. The instrumental moves like a ballet dancer, weaving gracefully in and out and stunning jumps and dives. This album, while slow moving and dark, has a lot of character embedded within it.

Have I mentioned this album is beautiful yet? There are so manny blissful instrumental moments on it that add so much taste to it! The piano performances on the album are fantastic: moments include 'Rupturing' which has a gorgeous ascending piano part that is accompanied by strings to build back in (it reprises itself as a sort of pre-chorus), 'The Black Dove' with a sweet piano intro that leads into a mysteriously and grandly swelling into a truly epic folk song led by confident percussion. The drums on this album are absolutely fantastic, too. Whether it be the slow guiding beat to 'Frozen Garden' or the epic crashes of 'Hands', the percussion on this album was executed incredibly, done with master precision. The instrumentals can also swallow you whole, in the case of the amazingly beautiful cavern that is 'Nightmares On Repeat'.

The lyrics and vocal melodies on this album may the best part of the record. The harmonies are spine tingling and the words chilling. There's not a single lyrical moment to be highlighted, as the entire album is written incredibly. Every word and every line feels so perfectly in place in the scheme of the story this album has that it's almost like you can reach out and hold them. The melodies add movement to this wonderful story, take the haunting melodies of 'Moulding' for example. Absolutely crushing and beautiful.

There's something starkly beautiful in the simplicity of They Moved In Shadow All Together. It hits so close to the heart and feels so real and personal... It sounds like the lovechild of Aurora's music and Chelsea Wolfe's (two artists I can't get enough of), fitting right in between the beauty of both artists' styles. Emily Jane White's new record is a folk masterpiece, as far as I'm concerned. Listen to it. It'll change you.

Favorite Tracks: The Black Dove, Nightmares On Repeat, Hands, Antechamber

Least Favorite Track: The Ledge

Rating: 89 / 100