Album: Quiet Hours
Artist: Electra Day (Julie Hampton)
Production: All songs written, played and sung by Julie Hampton; Engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by Tim Britton of Pied Piper Productions, Fairfield IA
Embarking on a relentless search to find answers to life’s most perplexing mysteries can appear to be an enticing experience for many people who long for solace. Singer-songwriter Julie Hampton, who performs under the stage name Electra Day, is a powerful example of a person who has been powerfully transformed by the knowledge she has gained as she embarked on her diverse encounters. On her latest album, ‘Quiet Hours,’ Hampton’s stunning and deeply personal lyrics describe a relatable and spiritual journeying. Her imaginative words, which are enthrallingly mixed with acoustic guitar chords, are drawn from the illumination effects of the places she has been inspired by throughout her life.
Hampton, who has lived in various American states along the West Coast and in Midwest, as well as in Berlin, intriguingly launched ‘Quiet Hours’ with the majestic track, ‘Big Sky.’ Fueled by the musician’s signature acoustic guitar and imaginative lyrics, the initial entry features a soothing tone as she sings about embracing life she has chosen to immerse herself in. The singer powerfully notes that since she was a child, she has embraced the endless freedoms life has granted her, much like the feeling of being outside and exploring new places. Much like nature, Hampton instinctively embraces the changes that come with new developments in life.
‘Big Sky’s effortlessly eases into the record’s next song, ‘Falcon’s Gaze,’ which once again features Hampton’s stunning acoustics and soothing guitar tones and vocals. The singer’s rich and wistful vocals emotionally reflect on the difficult decisions she had to make in her past. While she admits that she has had a difficult time choosing the right path during certain parts of her life, she embraces the fact that her journey has shaped who she is as a person today.
Another gripping and enticing track on ‘Quiet Hours’ is ‘Not Against It Or For,’ which begins with an alluring guitar interlude. The musician also proves what a versatile vocalist she is, as her voice subtle shifts to a more commanding tone. As she reflects on the events of her life, she realizes that she can’t remain completely attached to everything that has happened to her, even though her experiences have shaped her personality.
Hampton also shines on the song ‘From Boulder to Oblivia,’ whose rich narrative sentimentally also reflects on the experiences the musician has gone through in her life. While she acknowledges that those happenings have infused her with a meaningful wisdom, she also admits that she can never change her future by reflecting too heavily on her past. So she searches for answers in her current environment, as she also prepares to embark on her next journey. The tracks also reveals that there were many things she thought she couldn’t say, but she now has the clarity to share her feelings.
‘Quiet Hours’ comes to a serene close with the calming entry, ‘Old Blind Couple.’ Driven by another impressive guitar line that once again reinforces Hampton’s natural talents as a instrumentalist, the lyrics reinforce the beauty of love. The singer’s inspirational words encourage her listeners to learn how to cherish a lasting love that has endured the test of time.
The ability to completely embrace the love and experiences in a person’s life, without allowing the past to completely control the future, is the powerful and alluring message in Hampton’s latest folk record, ‘Quiet Hours.’ The singer-songwriter-musician is a compelling example of a person who has been powerfully transformed by the knowledge she has gained as she embarked on her diverse encounters. Hampton’s stunning and deeply personal lyrics grippingly describe her spiritual journey. Her imaginative words, which are enthrallingly mixed with acoustic guitar chords, are drawn from the illuminating effects of the places she has been inspired by throughout her life, which makes the album stunningly relatable.
For more information on Hampton, visit her official website, as well as her Bandcamp and Facebook pages. Listen to ‘Big Sky’ below.
Written by: Karen Benardello