Geraldine Snell is no stranger to the ethereal. On this, her third album – the successor to First Love (2021) and Light & Love LIVE (2022) – she continues to evolve her proven skill for weaving hypnotic synth loops around her warmly ambient choral voice. The result? A cohesive collection of sugar-coated, dream-pop gems. ‘Dream’ being the operative word here.
The artful use of loops and layers, on top of a hypnotically consistent downtempo beat, create a habitat of deep reverie. In such hospitable climes, these 11 compositions breathe, grow and coalesce as one. And yet, they remain pop songs at heart.
The first two tracks, Delightful (I Love You Song) and Limerence present as one, opening up with a womb-like pulse. DIY dabbles slowly build to a richly-formed ballad-anthem. Geraldine’s vocal is the magnetic force, as it is across much of the album, serene and vaguely psychedelic. It glides and floats like that of Hope Sandoval, Lisa Germano or Cornelia Murr.
The title track is an indie-synth-pop serenade of a similar ilk, but with the emphasis more firmly on the ‘pop’, even verging into Kate Nash / Lily Allen territory at its most endearingly gooey moments.
A closer comparison overall might be experimental Norwegian songwriter, Susanne Sundfør and, in particular, her albums Music For People In Trouble and Blómi.
Much like Sundfør’s best work, Overlove is adorned with startling micro-samples and percussive nuggets, almost like field recordings, dropped into vast open spaces, adding a uniqueness and authenticity to these earnest laments. Certain songs, like Holding On and, again, the title track itself, even possess a childlike quality, a wide-eyed innocence that glows in such melodic, soft-centred ambience.
Much of that detail is down to producer Richard Knight (aka Tarball, Lentboy, Michael Vinus, Debugger, Void Hands) and his passion for organic, avant-garde subtleties.
Geraldine: “He’s the most prolific and focused music-maker I have ever known, yet is utterly humble, modest; completely immersed in the creative process itself above all. I am utterly honoured to have had him co-produce this album and his innovative approach to sonic creation – blending organic samples and electronic processing – adds a really distinctive edge.”
There are interesting dualisms throughout the album. There’s a beguiling blend of the natural and synthetic, of the organic and the curated, the earthly and the supernatural. And the themes of love and loss appear at every turn. But there’s a constant flow to it all as well. Sounds gently collide and transmute into soothing shapes.
Encapsulating feelings of (in Geraldine’s words) “longing, loneliness and love addiction”, all within a cosily introspective and otherworldly kind of space, overlove is bathed in sincerity, vulnerability and healing. It’s an outpouring, but a gentle one. A place to dream.
Main image credit: Hannah Brabbs & Geraldine Snell
Slaughtered Lamb image credit: Emma Wurfel
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