aaamusic | On 19, Sep 2013

A beautiful debut album by London-based American artist Megan Wyler. Each track has something different to offer and yet there is a sense of continuity spanning the album; a story of highs and lows, relationships and people. Through The Noise, a collection of songs written and performed by Megan, are sung with a voice which penetrates deep into the soul, whilst dreamy harmonies wash over the body and mind to create some sort of ethereal effect. These songs give you the chance to indulge in some deep thought – to reconnect with yourself and go on Megan’s journey – whether that be fantastical or real.

The title track ‘Through The Noise’ is a beautiful song – unbearably simple in form, harmony, melody and like all incredible pieces of music,  leaves you wondering ‘what makes it so good!?’; it holds an unexplainable magic. Track four, ‘Everyman’ begins with a driving rhythm – guitar, bass and drums united in the cyclical 3+3+2 grouping underneath an elongated vocal line, and then suddenly ‘Dance!’ – the chorus kicks in and really does make you want to dance; an empowering number! Megan definitely seems to have the secret formula to stimulating the human senses. Another song which particularly stood out to me was ‘Drown’. Whether this was due to the prominent banjo or the gripping story line, I cannot say but it has the mesmerizing folk appeal of having an epic plot! Adem Ilhan comes into the spotlight in the single taken from the album, ‘The Fraying’ – a sensitive duet of very different sounds; Adem with his coarser voice and Megan with her pure, silky vocals.

The general sound world and set up remind me of Erin McKeown’s 2005 album ‘We Will Become Like Birds’, and Maria Solheim’s ‘The Man Who Left His Past’. Megan has created a fantasy, a musical cloud full of emotion, and within this there are surprises and the unexpected. Through The Noise, recorded in Adem’s London studio features guitar, banjo, bass, drums, strings, a zither, after which ‘Zither’, unsurprisingly, is named, and vocals by Megan and Adem. It is an atmospheric album full of feeling and should be listened to, if just to wallow in one’s emotions!

★★★★★

Heather Ryall