The project of Bristol-based DIY singer-songwriter Helena Walker, herbal tea is our latest discovery thanks to her debut album, Hear as the Mirror Echoes.

By Graeme Smith

The album opens dreamy and melancholic through Seventeen. It’s a track that takes its time building through the intro before Walker’s ghostly vocals come in. They are at once captivating, understated yet packing plenty of emotional punch, especially during a chorus that’s full of longing.

Walker has caught the attention of some high-profile names in Gia Margaret and Ex:Re and it’s easy to see why. She carries the torch for them while bringing her own distinct style to the scene. Hear as the Mirror Echoes gives us nine snapshots into her world, each showing us a distinct side to her sound.

With DIY production alongside Henry C Sharpe, we get a full sense of how Walker builds her music, keeping things simple and impactful in early highlight Grounded and building through underwater layers in Submarine. Driving Slow is a charming effort at the heart of the album, rich with storytelling lyrics and a classic folksiness.

The album is ended by the cinematic, Sigur Ros-esque Sundown and Kara which provides a slow-burning and ethereal final chapter. It’s where herbal tea push their sound the furthest, leaving a memorable last impression.

Hear as the Mirror Echoes is out now via UK DIY label Gold Day and US-based label Orindal. You can listen to it below.