“Written in Red” by Eva and The Blue Dive has been out since March, and it’s a heartfelt, passionate piece of indie-folk with plaintive vocals. I was reminded of The Cranberries, in how Eva’s elegiac voice stands against the shimmering guitars and driving drums. The song begins with finger picking on electric guitar, which sets the song’s soul-searching emotional tone. Eva’s keening singing enters giving an impression of anger mixed with the need to move on. Her vocals are sat deeply within the music’s mix, so whilst the lyric can sometimes be obscure you can hear from Eva’s voice and how she sings that she has something to say – like early REM. As the song enters the bridge section going into the chorus, major chords and driving drums lift the music; “You won’t see me again, I was never meant to stay”, Eva sings, giving a sense of release and relief. This music has lots of space, with a melodic bass, stern drums and muted guitar, and the singing uses layered harmonies to fill the space that this provides. As the song progresses, the reverb effect on the instruments deepens and the harmonies on the singing enrich and we enter an emotional swooping guitar solo that beautifully compliments the emotions expressed by the singing.
This is Eva and The Blue Dive’s first single since their debut E.P. “Fragmentation” released in 2016. “Written in Red” is the first of 4 songs that will be released throughout 2020, to make up a new E.P. Obviously, our current lockdown life squashes any chance of gigs for The Blue Dive, but, personally, I’d love to have the chance to hear Eva sing live and enjoy how the band reproduce this evocative, heartfelt indie-rock.
You can find “Written in Red” on Spotify, Soundcloud and through thebluedive.com Catch it, and be transported.
By: Dan Bramhall
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