By Joseph Purcell

The emphasis on collaboration with others has seemed to be the central reference point to the POSTDATA project for Paul Murphy, and despite being initially recorded in solitude in the early part of the year, the new record’s transatlantic recording process fits comfortably into his ethos.

Conceived as an instrumental track, Twin Flames ends up being built around Murphy’s reflective vocal, which is hushed in tone and barely pierces the atmospheric cannon at its back – offering a marvellous first impression for what is yet to come in 2021 from the Canadian. Created by its author around the concept of a person holding up a mirror to truly allow yourself to see the real picture, all the time carried forth by Murphy’s lyrical style, as if you are listening into his most intimate thoughts, ‘You opened your heart, as it always does through the front door, soft fingers pulled away the curtains‘.

Soft intermittent bursts of instrumentation are intersected by Murphy’s words, central to the story being told – and pitched into the heart of the raging storm, he touches lyrically on hope, celebration and acceptance of flaws. Murphy credits this to his late friend, Scott Hutchinson, whose influence seeps through on each repeated listen – ‘That was one of the great things about his song writing, this not being perfect and celebrating that.’ He explains ‘Everyone has flaws. You can think of yourself as not being something, and think of it a lot of the time as a negative, but its kind of great to let your guard down and accept that nobody is perfect.’ That it lands into the world on the Frightened Rabbit man’s birthday makes it even more poignant.