Billie Marten - Flora Fauna

Following on from gentle second album 'Feeding Sea Horses By Hand', Billie Marten flexes her sense for adventure on third album 'Flora Fauna'. Taking her resonant sound deeper into broody territory and switching things up ever so slightly by opting for bass-led rhythms, Billie paints vivid images of blooming landscapes and endless valleys.

Staying true to its name, 'Flora Fauna' is filled with the comforting lull of mother nature. Billie's gentle vocals perfectly lend themselves to the earthy tones of acoustic sceneries though they move just as comfortably soaring high into angelic realms –a subtle hint to her marvellous range.

Speaking of, this third offering in a line of well-rounded albums, sees Billie dip her toes into a multitude of genres, trying her hand at sinister alt-rock ('Human Replacement'); and even ancient magic ('Walnut') sits snuggly in the midst of her gently flowing folkscapes. The devil is in the detail, and the detail in Billie's sprawling soundscapes is no less than divine. Thematically, 'Flora Fauna' doesn't stray too far from home, diving into issues close to Billie's heart, whether that's taking apart the draw of religion ('Heaven') or lamenting the monotony of big city life ('Pigeon').

Introspective as ever but with a little more gravitas, Billie Marten defends her title. Against all odds, 'Flora Fauna''s expansive sonic textures don't take away from her established brand of sound. Instead, they allow Billie to refine her palette and inject more flavour into her craft, resulting in a beautifully nuanced snapshot capturing the full scope of her art.