The British singer's second record seamlessly melds contemporary wit with lush orchestration from Hans Zimmer and the London Symphony Orchestra
“Allow me to set the scene. Our story begins at 2.27am on a rainy night in Paris. Cue the thunder…” – RAYE’s second record demands your undivided attention from Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud’s opening monologue.
This Music May Contain Hope seamlessly melds contemporary and vintage elements, with Winter Woman sampling Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons (the Winter movement, obviously).
Being “seven Negronis deep”, ignoring Voicenotes from grandma (“Call me, please. We need to pray”), baulking at your reflection in a Chanel boutique window, incoming message pings (see: The WhatsApp Shakespeare) – present-day wit (“I know life can be a bitch, some call her ‘Monday'”) meets lush instrumentation here, with contributions from London Symphony Orchestra and Hans Zimmer.
- Label: Human Re Sources
- Release: out now
- Listen on Spotify
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Dramatic piano underscores I Will Overcome, during which RAYE unleashes the full impact of those pristine, emotion-drenched pipes. With crisp fingersnaps evoking West Side Story’s showstopping Cool, Beware… The South London Lover Boy serves PSAs: “Stay wary, girls/ It’s scary out there.”
Over jazzy, big-band backing, I Hate The Way I Look Today is a perspective-shifting anthem to silence inner-critics. Life Boat stitches together a collage of different voices “not giving up yet” over a throbbing house beat.
But it’s really all about WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!, which totally earns its ALLCAPS and exclamation point.
The last song proper (Happier Times Ahead) closes out with words of encouragement: “Hold on to happier times, alright darlin’?”
Like watching a golden-era Old Hollywood movie on the silver screen (with your phone switched off), This Music May Contain Hope is an all-encompassing escapism.
