Helefonix- Nature's Grace

I do like an artist/band that takes a risk and doesn't give a shit whether it's popular or not, whether it will get radio play or not, they just make the music they want to make and you can either love it, leave it or bog off, and that's one of the reasons I have time for  Helefonix , she doesn't fit in, she stands out, having released what seems like a copious amount of offerings including Singles and E.Ps since  bursting  onto the scene Tada stylee only last year I was keen to hear her latest, the 11 track debut album  "Nature's Grace", you never  quite know what you're going to get with Helefonix other than it will be different and I have to admit the first thing that sprung to mind on opening track "Dawn Chorus" was "What the Fffffff?" There were birds, lots of them 9.09mins to be precise, and not of the two legged, large chested gobby variety, I suppose the clue was in the title but then I'm not the sharpest of beaks ? I realized I was going to have to approach this album differently and so I sat back and closed my eyes, and  "What the Ffffff?" was replaced with a meditative lush green  wooded area ablaze with sunshine as all of the tension slipped from my body and I was memorized by the  sound of the  "Dawn Chorus" ah, now I get it ? 

Bird song is like a golden thread weaving through each track but it's far from boring, there is still plenty of room for a Helefonix element of surprise, and as you would imagine with an album  title such as "Natures Grace" this is very much an album to chill to, meditate to, and one of my faves is "Maids of Mer" with it's crashing waves and haunting harmonies:

A  very special track on the album to Helen is  "The Little Things Ft Herbert & Gladys Davies, she says : "This is a tribute to my Grandparents, joyful companions to me and my sister Julia in our childhood, and we all benefited from them living next door, something for which I am truly grateful for. When I took the video camera out to film them chatting to me in 1992 I captured lots of detail about their younger years, some of the chat was hard to hear and my grandad has a wonderful Teesside accent. 

They have long since passed but I felt these phrases summed up their approach to life:  "You see it only boils down to one little thing doesn't it?  Being kind makes all the difference. We live each day and we enjoy it. It's the little things in life that really count. One thing we've always been able to do, and that's laugh. Well I say, your Granny just laughs at me you know? I've had a very happy life and I'm grateful. Oh it's like being in heaven here."  

The album ends as it begins with the only instrument being natures bird song and proves that Helefonix can do no wrong, there really are some beautiful pieces on this album that is already receiving rave reviews and  play on BBC radio 3 and BBC radio 6, Helefonix is a one off, quirky, rebellious, winning awards as well as fans and not about to stop any time soon, as a late comer to making music, just last year to be precise, she's achieved more in this past year than many musicians do and have in their entire career. You can catch her at  the "Tomorrow Calling Festival"  Old Kent Road Sunday 5th Sept and also follow her journey on social media: Helefonix website   Bandcamp  Twitter  Soundcloud  Facebook Youtube  Spotify 

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