Jo Davie Binds A Book Of Stories In Debitē EP 'Nothing Comes Free'

Rest your head and listen to the stories Jo Davie has to tell in her debitē EP, ‘Nothing Comes Free’, a rich anthology told through gorgeous indie-folk and her spellbinding voice, coming out on Friday, May 2.

For as long as it’s been around, music has been used to tell stories, and since graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium in 2017 with First Class Honours and the University Medal, Jo Davie has been channeling her ancestors, telling tales through songs live on stage at festivals like Woodford Folk Festival (QLD), The National Folk Festival (ACT), and the Caloundra Music Festival (QLD), connecting with an audience and giving them something to bring home with them.

Viņas uzmanība cilvēka savienojumam ir izraisījusi to, ka viņa ir nopelnījusi Carol Lloyd balvu Kvīnslendas mūzikas balvās, pārdevusi savas izrādes un atbalstījusi ARIA uzvarētāju mākslinieci Katie Noonan dažādās vietās, viss, strādājot pie viņas PHD.

Now, she is releasing her debitē EP - a 6-track journey into the wonderland of her mind, played across a variety of instruments from strings to synth. It begins with ‘Throw Me A Rope’, a slow jam woven from a lilting voice that rises and falls with the grace of a songbird and instruments with a noncorporeal nature brought in through the fuzz of the guitar and soft echoing effects. This tells the story of a love left away from harbour but not let out to sea, how it feels to want to either be loved or ‘let go’, but not left drowning in the middle.

The second track, ‘Cemetery’, is equally as tender and vulnerable, highlighting Jo Davie’s acoustic roots within an immersive, swirling soundscape. Twinkling picked guitar enchants when paired with gentle violin and her captivating voice, with grounding drum cycles that support the track as it reaches out to the sky. There’s an air of sadness to the track, though it finds peace in an atypical situation, mourning the loss of a relationship in the place where things are laid to rest.

The third track, ‘Sandcastles’, was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. Its clear opening and drum cycles invite the listener into pure indie-rock Australiana, evoking sad memories on a sunny day. This song explores loss in all its forms– even when a sandcastle gets destroyed by the tide, it will live on in beautiful memory.

‘Say The Word’ is a break from her usual folksy style, opening with vocoder harmonies that stand alone to be joined by subtle, complimentary synth, bringing to mind the gentle sounds of a church organ and images of digital angels. It captures the strange feeling of devotion, knowing just a word could convince you to stay forever.

‘Colder’ is a folk-pop tune that sounds like a well-worn memory. With dreamy instrumental construction and Jo Davie’s powerful yet vulnerable vocals, this song is an intimate dwelling on a relationship’s end and finding the beauty that blooms in the emptiness they’ve left.

Spēle, kas dalās EP nosaukumā un tās finālā, ‘Nothing Comes Free’ ir perfekts piemērs maigumam un neaizsargātībai, ko Jo ir iemācījusies. Mīksta ģitāra un slāņoti vokāli ir silts segums, kaut kas pazīstams un nostalģisks ar pagriezienu, jo elektriskā ģitāra solo dod mūziku uz cerīgu virsotni. Šī dziesma ir trīs aktieru stāsts pats par sevi, izpētot, cik viegli ir uztraukties par kaut ko, ko jūs aizmirstat baudīt, un otrā puse – atrast skaistumu brīžos, kad tie nāk.

EP izlaišanas pavadībā ir nosaukuma dziesmas mūzikas videoklips, ko filmēja ilggadējais draugs un sadarbības partneris Caleb Colledge. Šaušana uz klusajiem Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah krastiem – vieta, ko Jo apraksta kā “varbūt mana mīļākā vieta uz zemes” – video ieraksta zelta pēcpusdienu, kas pavadīts, meklējot saulrietu. Ar viņas ģimenes atmiņām, kas saistītas ar šo pludmali un dziesmas vēstījumu par mieru tagadnē, iestatījums nevarēja būt piemērotāks.

As of May 1, Jo Davie is officially on tour, giving people a chance to engage with her stories face to face and share the moment in a community of listeners.

Get immersed in Jo Davie’s world with her magical debitē EP ‘Nothing Comes Free’, out Friday, May 2nd.