David C Clements – The Garden

The valleys and hills of Northern Ireland have inspired too many poets and writers to count. It fosters a specific beauty – cosy, rich, wondrous – that comes alive in music, shining in the folk-indie genre. David C Clements, Northern Irish singer-songwriter, has created a beautiful album with this in mind. The lyrical content ranges from parenthood to religion to grief, packing a punch each time. It’s both personal and relatable, and the music itself is warmly inviting.

Already Here is the opening track, and it plunges you straight into this experience. An addictive guitar sits behind synths that climb and climb as Clements laments the state of the world. It is regretful in its words, but its production is hopeful – a contradiction that can make one emotional. Second up is Reckless; an upbeat, rockier tune, it basks in its drums and declarations of love and boasts a particularly catchy pre-chorus.

The tracklist sways between big, sweeping anthems and more intimate, lower-key songs. While Little Outsider is euphoric and searing with guitar, Summer Sedative is more subdued, reminiscent of shallow waves. Dreamcatcher is a particular standout in this mix of styles. The lines are repetitive, sticking to one tone for the majority of the song, making it unusual and circular in a way that catches your attention. The sound is hypnotic and bolstered by a static synth in the background. Although different to the other tracks, it doesn’t feel out of sorts amongst the rockier folk in the rest of the project.

Title namesake The Garden is a shining star within Clements’s writing. He talks of religion and its restraints, of being locked out of the garden of Eden and wondering where that leads you. Piano and guitar gloriously set the scene of this poignant ballad.

David C Clements’ The Garden is a refined insight into the singer’s personal life, covering a mix of topics that elevate the album. His vocals are seamless throughout, passionate and impressive, especially on Life In a Bad Dream and To Be Low. A deeply reflective piece of work, with full and immersive musical production, The Garden is one you’ll want to sit with.

Talitha Stowell
Image: Chris McKay

The Garden is released on 20^th September 2024. For further information or to order the album visit David C Clements’s website here.

Watch the video for the single here: