Tess Roby – Beacon

High upon Ashurst Hill in Dalton, Lancashire, lies The Beacon, a brick structure crafted in 1798 and used to warn of invaders during the Napoleonic War. Tess Roby – a Montreal-based photographer and musician – was drawn to the site, which the family travelled to often, after the death of her father. Her debut album Beacon was written in the wake of his passing, and so takes on an almost spiritual tone.

Collaborating with her brother Eliot, Roby creates a singular, dreamlike feeling within her music. Utilising her eight years at the Canadian Children’s Opera Company, Roby’s dramatic vocals anchor a collection that shifts along with melodic guitar riffs, waves of ambient synths and sometimes strident rhythms, with Ballad 5 combining huge, gated drums with eerier electronica. She also has a keen grasp for developing mood, as the likes of Catalyst presents an emotional yet hazy gracefulness and Air Above Mirage presents a cosmic soundscape.

Closing track Borders proves to be an undeniable highlight, as the initially sparse instrumentation allows Roby to bring out the full force of her spellbinding and sometimes operatic voice, putting it squarely at the forefront. It’s something of a shame that Roby doesn’t seem to let loose like this at other points during the record but, as an initial step, Beacon hints at grander things to come.

Listen to: Borders, Catalyst