RAYE - THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.: For A World in Need of Healing

RAYE has often spoken of music’s power to heal in tough times. Today, it seems that the world needs her newly released THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., now more than ever.

Her sophomore album cannot be described as anything other than a musical celebration. Glorious orchestral instrumentation that blends genres and amplifies RAYE’s vulnerability. It's a celebration of both its outstanding production and of what it means to be human – the heartbreak, and of course, the hope.

The seventeen tracks on the record are categorised into four acts, corresponding to the four seasons – Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. To start the journey, ‘Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud.’, tells the story of a woman in her late 20’s, looking for something or someone to take away the emptiness she feels inside. That emptiness first introduces this ongoing theme of heartbreak before the final line that reassures us of the hope that is hinted at in the album’s name, “And a voice note from her Grandma that would say / Call me please, we need to pray.”

What follows are more dramatic tales of sorrow that are grounded in defiance. The spaces created within each melody brings tears to your eyes, simultaneously renewing your sense of self. It’s clear that although the emotions are at times overwhelming, they are raw and unfiltered. It’s meant for listeners to find solace in her words and pick themselves back up again.

‘Life Boat’ perfectly embodies this, as the combination of its quick tempo and blend of house and pop influences makes it destined to hit the clubs, yet blares several voices of all ages declaring “I’m not giving up yet.” The phrase is vague and can apply to a multitude of different scenarios but that seems to define the entire album’s message. Whoever you are and whatever you’re going through, you’ll be able to relate to at least one, if not all of the tracks. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., is therefore meant to drag you out from the pit of self-doubt and despair that we often find ourselves falling into. Mantras are composed into anthems for you to rehearse and repeat over and over again until its positivity occupies your thoughts. It proves that heartbreak isn’t always romantic but personal as well.

Sure to linger in listeners’ minds then, is ‘Click Clack Symphony’, featuring legendary film composer and music producer Hans Zimmer. Its lyrics paint the picture of a woman who feels “But there has to be more than just merely existing.” It listens like a list of frantic thoughts that slowly transform into a song of empowerment, “Calling my baddest women's it's about to go down, / Click click click clack symphony I need that.” The sound of heels echo as they hit the ground, demanding their presence be heard and the record’s words to be heeded. With an upbeat tempo and powerful chorus, you’re compelled to get up and challenge the darkness inside.

One of the many standout elements in the body of work is the sheer scale of its production. The grandeur of the orchestra creating dramatic crescendos that build tension, adds a cinematic texture that we rarely hear in mainstream music. Perfectly complementing the storytelling throughout. From one track to the next, the sound switches from an orchestra of strings and percussion to fast tempo, saxophone-filled jazz melodies, complete with bouts of RAYE scatting on ‘I Hate The Way I Look Today.’ Her vocals succeed in portraying emotion across the genres. Some so rife with pain you can practically hear the strain in the singer’s voice.

Incredibly diverse in its sound, delivery and messaging, it almost leaves the album indefinable but that’s what makes it a true reflection of heartbreak. Such an unpredictable, all-consuming emotion can last our entire lives as it continues to revisit us in both our happiest and darkest moments. It ebbs and flows. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. becomes a literal demonstration of those fluctuating feelings. You take on every emotion woven into each song’s story – the rage, the sadness, and everything else that’s left unspoken. Acknowledging the thoughts that often only live within the hidden corners of our mind.

Whether you wish to or not, the lyrics and dramatic production force you to look away from your insecurities and towards ‘hope’, in this album that is meant for anybody that needs it. And it seems in these times…everybody does. Although it’s hard not to, as RAYE herself says, “If hope didn't find you my friend. / We advise you to listen again.”