Hannah Frances – ‘Nested in Tangles’ album review: A selection of oddities gives way to a gem
In many ways, by the time you’ve reached your sixth album, artists must be bursting to be freed from the shackles of containment. For Hannah Frances and her latest album, Nestled in Tangles, it’s like running wild after being released from prison.
The Skinny: It’s incredibly difficult to pick out one specific aspect which makes this album an enjoyable listen, so my advice is largely just to play it yourself. A crime against music journalism, I know, so what ensues is my attempt to pick it apart. But the whole point is that this puzzle is ultimately impossible to crack. On the face of it, none of the pieces fit together, and it’s a bit of a jumble sale – yet this is also the heart which makes it so utterly compelling.
If you were to ask me prior to hearing Nestled in Tangles what I thought an album based on the concept of family trauma would sound like, I – probably along with the rest of the world – would likely imagine something pretty forlorn. Instead, what you find in Frances is a dizzying concoction of sonics: some jarring, some uplifting, some, naturally, downbeat, but which ultimately combine to create a true musical rollercoaster representing the rocky journey of what emotional turmoil really feels like.
Encompassing elements of everything from spoken word to jazz, folk to ornate orchestrations, you’ll find a selection of everything within this record. Ordinarily, you would criticise an album like this for having no sense of cohesion, but an overarching sense of knowledge and sentience shines through the chaos. Despite clearly having experienced and subsequently created a whirlwind, Frances proves that she is masterfully in control of everything she is doing. Play on, maestro – let the circus continue.
The Verdict: It’s purposely messy, chaotic, and an all round raucous ride – but Nested in Tangles proves that even in spite of the most complicated thought you’ve ever had or events you’ve attempted to navigate, someone else has already been there. There’s something oddly soothing in that.
Defining track: ‘Life’s Work’
Release date: 10th October/31st October, 2025 (vinyl) | Producer: Hannah Frances/Kevin Copeland | Label: Fire Talk
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