Rachel Goswell

小

Rachel Goswell，这个名字也许你并不熟悉，但是响当当的Mojave 3你应该不会陌生。她就是Mojave 3的女声主唱，一个来自爱尔兰的女子，一个带着温带海洋性气候的声音。

清新的吉他中，飘着爱尔兰气质的大量弦乐，使得整张专辑别具独特的气息。

甜美的声线里，有一种超然脱俗，在民谣曲风下悄悄继承着Mojave 3的早期梦幻。

当一年一季的稻草夹杂着心事熟了，当天边的云和地上的马赛跑，当风爱上乡间小路两旁的草树，当我们不再和时间争吵，世界就开始慢慢地温柔涌动，大地就像一张彩色的床，包容着我们的往事和幻想。

你不可以悲伤，你也不可以轻浮，这声音要带你去世界的另一端旅行，所以摘一朵阳光别在胸前，然后和你周遭的琐碎告别吧。

Rachel Goswell，你的歌是你容颜，你在歌中种下了自己。但不要介意，我也要在你身边，开一支小小的绿芽。

Rachel Goswell is releasing her debut album, 'Waves Are Universal'. Yes, you read that correctly - no one has put anything in your tea and there's no need to adjust your set. After a wait of over a decade, Rachel Goswell has finally pushed her way to the front and, like with most twists in her career so far, 'Waves Are Universal' is not what you ears will be expecting.

For the uninitiated, Rachel first made a name for herself back in the early-nineties whilst lead singer of Slowdive – a band very much at the credible end of the short-lived but well remembered 'shoe gazing' scene. As much as 'that' tag now grates, there's no doubting that their legacy lives on; rare Slowdive records are much sought after, many of the current crop of wannabes would kill for a comparison to them and only recently were they dubbed "cool" by veritable German electronic label, Morr Music, who released a sterling tribute album in their very honour.

From the ashes of Slowdive, Rachel along with surviving members Neil Halstead and Ian McCutcheon created Mojave 3 - a very different prospect to Slowdive. They veered away from their famed, dreamy yet schizophrenic, guitar-laden melodies in favour of a more timeless, laid back, almost stoned country sound. Fortunately, their uncanny ability to tug on heartstrings and stir the listener's emotions at will remained fully intact, seamlessly continuing their tradition for incredible song writing that keeps them ahead of the game. Last year saw the release of their fourth album, 'Spoon And Rafter', and they're already busy plotting the fifth.

During Mojave 3's third and fourth albums, Rachel's long-time musical partner-in-crime Neil Halstead released his debut solo album, 'Sleeping On Roads', to much critical fanfare. Cynics may think that this was the impetus Rachel needed to finally record her first solo album but they'd be very wrong. Simply put, it has been changes in her life and a feeling that she was finally ready that led to 'Waves Are Universal' and, for these reasons alone, it's a very personal body of work and quite unlike anything she has done before.

Recorded with co-writer Joe Light and producer David Naughton, 'Waves Are Universal' is, as said, quite a radical departure for Rachel. The track 'Plucked' best hints as to what is to follow - an album that has been recorded organically (so to speak), largely without the aid of electronic effects, allowing her to be heard away from the familiar delay and reverb of most her previous outings. What remains on record is pure atmosphere, which is unsurprising given David's recording technique. On some tracks, Rachel's vocals were played back in Chislehurst Caves and re-recorded to create a natural echo ('Warm Summer Sun', 'Gather Me Up' and 'Hope'). In addition to this, both real-life sounds caught by an ambient microphone ('No Substitute') and field recordings made during a holiday in Thailand ('Shoulder The Blame' and 'Plucked') find their way on to add extra warmth and depth.

'Waves Are Universal' is proof that Rachel is a real talent. She's starting another glorious chapter in her story and is no longer hidden away. (courtesy of 4AD)