Where I’ve Begun, the debut album from Melbourne songwriter Rachael Comte, is quick to invite the listener in to become enveloped in rich warmth from the onset.
Premiering with Scenestr, Where I’ve Begun showcases a songwriting style marked by stunning moments of fragility and self-awareness. Comte’s first offering here is a collection of music traversing themes of love, love lost and emerging stronger with clarity.
Playing with light and dark tones on Where I’ve Begun allowed Comte to explore some beautiful honesty within her lyricism. From the strong opener of ‘Own My Own’ to the gorgeous ‘Written In Stone’, the artist paints frank and ernest portraits, in a similar vein to the likes of Stella Donnelly and Tia Gostelow.
A frank and honest portrait.
Recording the album with producer and instrumentalist Andy McEwan, Where I’ve Begun was the result of quite the organic period of writing and recording.
As with much of Comte’s music, her debut album strikes right to the heart of the listener, which makes sense – the words poured out naturally from the heart of the songwriter herself.
“We hired a bit of gear, and then set it up at his parents place on the beach, and spent three days straight recording, drinking coffee, going for beach walks, drinking wine, recording. It was such a beautiful experience.I think I learned about the importance of doing things in environments that you feel comfortable in, with people that you feel comfortable with. The music will inevitably take on that feeling. I hope that people can feel that warmth when they listen to it!” Rachael Comte
Comte’s self-awareness on record leads to moments of vibrancy too. ‘Problem With Men’ deals with newfound relationship insecurities with a humorous tenderness. Sometimes, the best remedy for a break up or major relationship change, is to throw yourself into music.
‘Love To Rest’, a significant turning point on Where I’ve Begun, is a perfect example of Comte’s musicality in this sense, as she couples drama with vulnerability.
“The song is about being devastated after a break up and feeling like you need your heartbreak to be validated by the other person feeling the same way. It feels epic and super dramatic when I sing it, so it’s fun to play.”Rachael Comte
Emerging into a spotlight that has warmed to the likes of Jess Ribeiro, Angie McMahon,Merpire and Hannah Cameron more recently, Comte’s musicianship has matured in this same league, and the material that has resulted provides a perfect snapshot of this progress.
Where I’ve Begun, with its sparkling charm and unabashed boldness, is a stride forward for Comte and the perfect introduction of her music to newcomers.
A new name here to stay.
The album, in showcasing Comte’s strength as a writer and vocalist, is a culmination of years of experience the musician has accumulated; a seasoned writer and performer in Melbourne’s indie and jazz scenes, Comte’s arrival at this point is one that has been not just long-anticipated, but it is an arrival of an artist ready to shine in a new spotlight.
RACHAEL COMTE TOUR DATES
Free Entry
Tickets on the Door
Friday 14th December The Wesley Anne Melbourne
Tickets on the Door