The golden hour is the final hour of light before the sun sets, and the first hour of light in the morning. Also known as “magic hour,” it is a beautiful, yet fleeting time that punctuates the darkness. Appropriately named after this concept, SHEAL’s sophomore EP, golden hours is an expression of deep vulnerability and personal reflection.
The album cover shows Sheilagh McNab aka SHEAL with an almost Mona Lisa type expression. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how she is feeling or what emotion she is trying to convey, but her face is obscured by the golden sunlight behind her and this is exactly how the record feels. Her emotions are there, raw and unfiltered; she expresses pain and sorrow while accepting that life is all about ups and downs. The bittersweet emotion of her lyrics and timeless, jazz voice are laid over a golden sky of twinkling piano, reverberated guitar, and a deep, warm bass.
There is a comfort in her message; opening with “The End,” SHEAL sings about focusing on the growth that comes from the passing of time, rather than stressing about it – endings don’t have to be bad. The second track, “If This Is All There Is,” with gentle piano and downbeat drums, sounds like you’ve stumbled into a cafe out of the rain. It touches on the mundanity of life and choosing to accept and enjoy the little things.
There is a cinematic feel to the record. When the strings and bass come in on “Stay Awake,” it’s like something from a coming-of-age movie. This incredibly moving arrangement, paired with the melancholic lyrics evokes a similar feeling to Gary Jules’ version of “Mad World,” sad but comforting. The final track, and first single from the EP, “Unravelling,” is the perfect way to close. Opening with a blissful pad and subtle bass, it truly feels like the golden hour has ended and we are entering the night. She expresses her fear of being lonely, but her need to be alone as a gentle piano joins the mix, like stars in the night. The timing of this release is perfect. As the summer ends and we enter a slower, darker period, I think it is important to focus on the beauty that lies in uncertainty and not dwell on the darkness. This EP provided me with so much comfort and reminded me that it is always darkest before the dawn, before the golden hour.
