Reviewed by Erin Spruce

The debut album of Cornish band The Claze offers a mixture of folk and pop songs which have been beautifully written. 'Breathing People' consists of 13 songs which are simple yet effective at making the listener feel a whirlwind of emotion. With its black and white artsy photograph, the sleeve portrays the evocative nature of the material written by frontman Gareth Dix. From the in-your-face lyrics of "Soul Saver" to the orchestral strings on the ballad "Breathing People (Reprise)" the whole album blends together well. I found myself tapping my foot to the upbeat songs whilst not wanting the ballads to end. The acoustic guitars in "Rise" and "Higher Love" contrast well with the '70s style jangly electric guitar on "Fishes" and "Stand Up". However the song which stands out to me is "Mumbles". With its descriptive imagery of a seaside town and a sound like Bob Dylan, "Mumbles" is a great feel good song suitable for days out with friends at a summer picnic. On the downside, the vocals are a little weak at times on a few of the songs, but generally they are of quite a high standard. Overall, the album is a well above average debut release and with the proceeds going towards Exhale, a social enterprise based in Cornwall aiming to reduce local poverty, this album is definitely one to buy.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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