Promotional photos of Hollie Kenniff generally include her holding an electric guitar. Her latest album, For Forever is constructed of layers of airy synths, lyricless vocals, and minimal percussion but you would be hard-pressed to identify any guitar.
“Linger in Moments” opens with what sounds like a Playstation has been left on in the next room; it is just a wash of relaxing synth pads droning. Drawn out acoustic piano chords are added to the soundscape. The dynamic between acoustic and electric elements are a constant on the album.
The second song “Surface” is where the album really gains steam. Beginning with piano arpeggios, synth pads and Hollywood strings are added to the mix. The song highlights the real power of Hollie Kenniff as an artist. On the surface (no pun intended), the track feels completely ignorable–light and ethereal like something that gets played while you are waiting for a spa treatment. But Kenniff develops melody subtly and you don’t realize it is catchy until it is stuck in your head.
You get a similar feeling with the album’s titular track. The drawn out piano chords under the sea of synth pads create a catchy but plodding melody. You find yourself anticipating the next chord in the progression and when it comes, it feels so satisfying.
Satisfying is a good way to describe For Forever. It fulfills many needs. It can be put on as background music and largely ignored but if you have the time to really listen, it has a lot of layers that can be explored and get lost in.
Rating: 8.2/10
