Henry Carlyle – ‘I Float’ single review: The Orielles’ guitarist proves his impressive individual talents
Since the early 2010s, Henry Carlyle has been a member of The Orielles, a teenage musical endeavour that transformed the trio into a staple of the British indie rock scene. However, after two successful albums blending indie pop, rock and disco, the band took a sharp diversion from these roots and planted a new seed in the form of improvisational experimentalism.
Their third album, Tableau, is a captivating collection of the band’s most emotive and dynamic tracks to date, proving them to be at their greatest when they discard convention and lean into their instincts. The result is something magnificent, sure to entice new fans and elevate the band to a new level in their career.
However, away from the band, Carlyle has been quietly making solo music for some time, releasing his debut single, ‘The Ground’, in 2021 and embarking on a few support slots for bands such as Porij and English Teacher. Now, Carlyle has two new tracks to share, ‘Prelude’ and ‘I Float’, two experiments in ambient synths. After purchasing a synthesiser, the musician recorded the tracks at his home in Manchester, inspired by the isolation of winter. He explained: “During dark evenings, I built up an ambient track, ‘Prelude’, and when I finished that I realised it was the element ‘I Float’ had been missing. Through its many iterations, I struggled to get close enough to expressing the song’s idea until then.”
‘Prelude’ begins with the manipulated voice of the musician pronouncing the name of its companion piece, ‘I Float’, before allowing slowly meditative synths to play out, creating a darkly evocative atmosphere that replicates feelings of alienation and uncertainty. The ambient piece is deeply cinematic, bordering on ominous. Carlyle harnesses immense talent with his synthesiser, layering multiple sounds over one another that blend in and out of earshot with utter smoothness.
On ‘I Float’, Carlyle picks up the pace, and a steady drum beat maintains the track’s rhythm as he speaks his lyrics with his distinctive Yorkshire accent, which is refreshing to hear in the landscape of contemporary music. Grimy guitars dart around the background, punctuating the hazy synths and adding a level of disruption into the mix that reflects his lyrical reflections on life.
Discussing these lyrics, Carlyle explains: “It’s about floating on through, not being present, doing what you’ve got to do. In a sense, it’s about living a minimal existence until you feel well enough to thrive again.”
‘I Float’ is a welcome release from the musician better known for his work as part of a trio, highlighting his phenomenal individual talents.
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