Laurel Arnell-Cullen’s debut offering ‘Blue Blood’ is haunting to say the least. Beginning with a news sample placed over a simplistic piano riff, there’s something quite disturbing about the juxtaposition of the clip on the supernatural with the lullaby-style chords.
Laurel’s vocals are spine-tingling, and can be compared to a hybrid of Ellie Goulding and Delilah; although it would be unfair to ignore her unique and somewhat-husky tone, which is what really holds ‘Blue Blood’ together.
Laurel’s harmonies emphasise the tension beneath the lyrics, as she describes how her lover ‘made [her]feel again’ after what I assume was a pretty messy break-up. At times, a little uncomfortable, these are resolved by a modest string accompaniment that adds sufficient depth to the song.
Occasionally, it feels as if ‘Blue Blood’ tries to achieve too much, but as soon as this happens, Laurel strips it back to the bare minimum to showcase what she can do. Although not necessarily the most memorable of songs, ‘Blue Blood’ provides an encouraging and exciting sample of what we can expect from Laurel in the future.
7/10
