With All Things, Rising and Returning, Rhiannon Hope establishes herself as one of the most compelling new voices in contemporary folk. It’s a striking first step from an artist whose power lies in making simplicity feel profound.
Arriving in Leeds, sailing down the Leeds Liverpool Canal (or the M62), Liverpool-born, folk artist Rhiannon Hope has carved out her presence in the Yorkshire grassroots scene. Rhiannon Hopes’ debut EP All Things, Rising and Returning encompasses Hope’s bittersweet experiences of womanhood, identity and the working class. Marking the first-ever vinyl release for both Rhiannon and the Leeds-based label Private Regcords, the songs have been pressed to vinyl by Vinyl Press. This edition also includes a bonus track- a live recording of ‘Toothpaste’, captured at Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds.
Before landing support slots with the likes of Gal Go (of King Krule), I was lucky enough to be at Rhiannon Hope’s Leeds gig debut in 2023. Armed with a cherry red electric guitar and a more overtly jazzier sound, Hope debuted at Leeds Irish Bar, Oporto. Before she started performing her crafted songs of tenderness and sincerity, I remember Hope performing a cover of ‘Age’ by Lianne La Havas, a cheeky tune about a relationship with an older man. Performed with incredible wit and spirit, this essence of vitality has made its way into every performance of Hope since.
The EP opens with its eponymous track, a striking vocal melody and hum of an accordion. Within the first thirty seconds, you are transported to a lost time of the tactile, textured not only in her acoustic, stripped instrumentation but also in how each track on the EP is recorded live. This sense of the tactile is reflected within the EP’s artwork, embroidered by Hope’s hand, the folk artist explains:
“I feel things are becoming rapidly impersonal and abstract, and so with the cover art for All Things, Rising and Returning, I wanted it to be as tactile an experience as possible,” she illustrates “As a kind of gentle rebellion, everything about the record is physical.”
Hope opens the EP with such confidence that her debut already feels accomplished and mature in sound, making it easy to see why she has quickly built a loyal following within Yorkshire’s grassroots scene. It feels very clear to me that Hope creates her sound so instinctively, perhaps guided by her love for jazz, the improvisational element of the genre seems to hone in on her vocals floating above the accordion. The EP’s title feels cyclical, mirroring her swirling vocals and vibrato that are woven throughout the EP’s tapestry of sound.
Released earlier this month, lead single ‘B.B’ explains feelings of imposter syndrome over soft plucking’s of the banjo and acoustic guitar, melted with the low humming of strings. The track earned Hope press coverage from DIY Magazine, Still Listening and Far Out Magazine ‘B.B’ evokes the smell of smoke and earthly rooms, a sense of comfort and timelessness which brands Hope’s discography. What I enjoy most striking about each track is that, while maintaining a steady consistency, it still ebbs and flows- from delicate plucking to intricate, multi-layered soundscapes. Yet, what Hope never loses sight of is the balance between power and delicacy found in simplicity.
Opening almost as a murmur; ‘Indulge’ feels more brooding and grounded in its instrumentals, rather than floating above them as in earlier songs. It’s filled with raw emotion: “I yearn to feel woman, to feel like someone’d want me”- a line that captures its aching vulnerability. Instrumentally, it’s the fullest track on the EP, rich in texture, with Hope’s vocals delicately interwoven among each pluck and every wire brush of the drums. It’s a testament to her rare talent for tenderness.
Available exclusively on the vinyl edition, ‘Toothpaste’ exemplifies Hope’s refusal to fall into predictability. Her sound remains both delicate and deliberate, always surprising in its subtle shifts. The lyric, “I’m in a different place but I’d like to lie still now”- perfectly encapsulates the track’s quiet, contemplative power.
Tender yet assured, her debut marks the beginning of a career destined to resonate far beyond Yorkshire’s grassroots scene.
Rhiannon Hope is touring the UK in September following the release of her debut EP All Things, Rising and Returning in the dates below.
Live dates:
27th September – The Snug, Hyde Park Book Club
28th September – The Grove, Nottingham
29th September – The Windmill, London
30th September – The Rossi Bar, Brighton
1st October – The Bristol Fringe, Bristol
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