THE SKINNY: The creative process takes many forms, and trying to pin it down to one specific method is both an act of madness and a waste of time. That being said, the majority of people who have ideas for songs take that idea and then build on it. With Rui Gabriel’s new album, Compassion, though there is no denying it sounds nice and is the work of a talented mind, feels like ideas are less built upon and more extended.

In this sense, it has been granted the term “musical playdough”. Imagine a small blue ball of playdough (the initial idea), five seconds long but filled with promise. For many of the tracks on this LP, the idea feels stretched out to the point that it extends to the length of a song, but it also loses structure and identity in the process.

Tracks like ‘Eyes Only’ struggle to grab the listener’s attention. They sound great but repeat the same idea, adding a couple of layers here and there but not moving away from the same formula that we can only assume was the initial idea. ‘If You Want It’ has a sweet-sounding chord progression that is about four seconds long and repeated throughout most of the track, to the point that it almost becomes frustrating to hear.

That being said, this isn’t a bad album. Some of the songs feel like they need a bit more thought, but behind each one is good instrumentation, lyricism, and melody. Not to mention, some of the more upbeat numbers are excellent. ‘Summertime Tiger’ and ‘Change Your Mind’ sound like rock music from the mid-’60s infused with indie pop, completely infectious in their catchiness. It’s an album well worth a listen, but it could have been done with a bit more added to it. 

For fans of: Repetition, tea with no sugar, scarves and repetition.

A concluding comment from the flavour vanilla: “Gotta say, this is a bit of me!” 

Rui Gabriel – Compassion track by track:

Release date: June 21st | Label: Carpark Records 

‘Dreamy Boys’: It’s a tough song to criticise but also a tough song to write home about. While it could be seen as a beautiful tone-setter for the rest of the album, it also lacks anything that piques the listener’s interest. The instrumentation is lovely, and Gabriel’s voice, despite being incredibly monotone, is nice, but it doesn’t sell itself as a track worthy of repetition. [2/5]

‘Target’: The vocals on this song are a bit wobbly. A few notes seem too low, which results in an earthy whisper. That being said, the vocal melody is interesting, and the song is one that you can nod your head to. The outro to the song is especially nice, with a lot of layered instrumentation and backing vocals; it builds wonderfully. [3/5]

‘Church of Nashville’: This song does an excellent job of having a clear beat while still sounding relatively stripped back in percussion. There are drums, and a guitar pick being dragged across compressed strings clearly provides a rhythm, yet the song still sounds subdued. Other than that element, not a whole lot stands out. It’s a nice listen, though. [2.5/5]

‘Hunting Knife’: This song’s calm approach is obviously intentional but doesn’t stop the track from being slightly dull. It’s easy to appreciate but difficult to become invested in. Completely inoffensive and yet apathetic. [2.5/5]

‘Summertime Tiger’: A more upbeat track reminiscent of old folk songs but with more of a modern pop twist. It’s a great song, really catchy, and has a beat that you can’t help but move your feet to. By far one of the standouts on the album. [4/5]

‘If You Want It’: An incredibly peaceful number, almost dreamlike in its execution. A nice chord run lasts about four seconds and is pretty much repeated throughout; it sounds nice but becomes jarring. It sounds more like an initial idea has been extended to make an entire song instead of a song being built on an initial idea. [2.5/5]

‘Change Your Mind’: Upbeat, easy to move to, great lyricism and melody. A rocky guitar run plays in the background during the chorus, too, which is far removed from what we have heard on the album and is a nice alteration that keeps the ears pricked this deep into it. [3.5/5]

‘Eyes Only’: There’s not much to say about the time this track occupies other than it elapses. It all sounds nice, but none of it sounds engaging. It’s a tough song to get excited by. [2/5]

‘End Of My Rope’: Very sweet but not far removed enough from the other songs on this album to separate itself from them. Again, it’s a nice piece of music but slightly lacking in something punchy. [2.5/5]

‘Money’: A movie-like ending that would be perfect to accompany the closing shot of a decent picture. The keys at the end have a slowed-down northern soul quality, and the repetitive lyrics make for an excellent song to close the album on. [4/5]