review | human | kitt philippa

‘Human’, the debut album from Armagh-born, Belfast based songwriter Kitt Philippa, feels like a redemption of sorts.

For an artist so accomplished at such a young age (by 21 they were already playing with the Ulster Orchestra), Philippa has not had the free-flowing pop career her child prodigy status may have inferred. A series of releases stretching back to 2013 showcase a young composer towing too fine a line between pop-potential and classical experimentation. On ‘Human’, they find a balance; a space for the Hozier-inspired balladry and RnB beat of the title track to live alongside standout ‘Moth’s lush, gentler orchestral arrangements.

‘Fahrenheit’ swings like a trapeze, an off beat groove laying the foundation for a song never quite willing to commit to one genre. Bon Ivor’s latest record  ‘I,I’ showcases a similar enticing quality, forcing you to explore deeper. ‘Lion’ sits at the opposite end of the spectrum, a piano driven pop song wrapped in sincerity. ‘I don’t want to close my eyes anymore, I’ve seen too much of darkness’, they lament. It builds and sways, guiding you through every step of it’s shadowed path.

‘Grace’ see’s Philippa befriend their scars, embracing the journey for better and worse. There are pop melodies here that if sang by a name like Lewis Capaldi, would be massive. Just as you sense you are beginning to understand ‘Human’s complexities, you hear ‘Untitled’, a song raging like waves off a Northern cliff. Philippa channels Kate Bush, not in delivery, but in exuberance, as haunting strings push and pull the listener further from the tide and deeper into the swell. It sets up an emotional finale of ‘Atlas’ (which bursts into life at just the right moment) and the brilliant ’68 2/4’, which returns full circle to the gospel hum of the opening track.

Thematically, Philippa is seeking out a better world. A kinder world, where “Humanity is all we need”. It’s this meld of honesty and musical bravery which will keep you coming back to ‘Human’ and sets up an intriguing LP2 .

Taylor Johnson