Lush riffs and dreamy good vibes meet with a kind of energising folk-rock energy and brightness that’s instantly infectious. Belgian creative Hidden Shores blends indie pop, shoegaze and anthemic passion, with the limitless creative tools of AI, for the intoxicating album Mighty Oak.
Celebrating the wonders of the natural world in both style and substance, the building blocks of Hidden Shores are these sentiments of the self and the greater good, and the natural musicality and vocal sound works hard to meet fairly with that sense of purpose and realism.
In example, Hopeful Horizon is a sensational opening track, an optimistic introduction to the playlist, fusing the kind of big-pop vocal hits of Alex Warren etc, with a more traditional folk-ska tone and energy falling somewhere between the likes of Rusted Root and The Cat Empire.
However, to assume the rest of the project follows suit is unwise, especially with the modern production tools of today. As we step into Just Be A Kid, some tones and notes, the voice, have familiarity, and the songwriting, but the multi-layered production and fullness depicts a whole new audio venture. The emotion is high, the music immersive and creative, playful yet intentional, and the lyrics are confronting but impassioned as they pierce through the airwaves. This song is magical, and a definite highlight from Mighty Oak.
18 original tracks make up Mighty Oak, a playlist cleverly grounded by its ethereal sense of spirituality and versatility. Highlights include the whispered to marching intensity of Volcano, the sudden pop-punk to new metal alt-folk anthemic weight of Edges of Tomorrow, and the festival-ready bravado and charm of a conceptually provocative Price Of A Soul.
There’s also vocal dynamic to meet the changing genres of this radio-like collection of songs, the likes of Shadows Unfold presenting an acoustic finger-picking and female vocal softness to completely redirect things, and A Broken Clock keeping that modern marching aura strong, only with another new voice to meander through these vague poetic musings.
One last highlight is The Weight Of Falling, a raspy voice and rising intensity and anticipation in the cinematic strings and incoming drama, all paving the way towards a huge crescendo of choir-like male voices and dreamy resolve.
A school teacher by day, a deeply consumed AI music maker by night, Hidden Shores built this album around an open respect for the organic musicians and styles of our history, and this balancing between the natural world and the changing landscape of contemporary sound-design are the lifeblood of Mighty Oak.
Find Hidden Shores on Instagram, Facebook, Deezer, Apple, Instagram & their Website.
