Album Review: “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.” by RAYE

Prior to the September release of “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!,” most people on the street would be unfamiliar with the British singer and songwriter Rachel Agatha Keen, more commonly referred to by her stage name, RAYE. However, following that single’s release, RAYE went viral overnight, and fans were eager to hear more from the artist. Thankfully, more was on the way, as this popular single was the first glimpse at the artist’s sophomore album, “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.,” an album whose title promises to leave listeners in a better place and state of mind. I can confidently say that, after experiencing this musical journey for myself, that this album DOES deliver on its promise in full. In fact, RAYE’s album delivers and then some; this is easily one of the most uplifting and affirming musical projects I’ve encountered and is something that everyone could refer to as a pick-me-up when days get cloudy.

A big part of understanding this album is understanding its structure. “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.” is conceptual, meaning every track is a chapter in the same story and adds to the same overall theme (in this case, hope). Fittingly, the prologue track “Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud.” exists to set the scene. This song establishes RAYE as a sort of narrator, occasionally chiming into the following tracks with fourth wall breaks and some metacognitive retrospection.

This album walks listeners through the four seasons, starting with autumn and concluding with summer. Through the use of several different genres and with the help of a few musical collaborations, RAYE navigates the highs and lows of life. Starting with autumn, listeners experience the introduction track, “I Will Overcome.,” “Beware.. The South London Lover Boy.” and “The WhatsApp Shakespeare.” This section features a grandiose orchestral number, a lively and quick-paced jive and ends with a rap piece that spirals into a jazz sound. This section starts on an optimistic note and drops from there, as RAYE goes from stating she’ll overcome this lull in life to dodging streetside encounters with men to a disappointing stint with a significant other.

From there, RAYE transitions to winter, with the tracks “Winter Woman.,” “Click Clack Symphony.,” “I Know You’re Hurting.” and “Life Boat.” This season sees RAYE dive into more rap-adjacent sounds, as well as a full on cinematic score collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer, an orchestra-backed ballad and a piece that pulls sound bites of RAYE’s family proclaiming “I’m not giving up yet.” This quarter explores ideas of reinvention following heartbreak, the seclusion people fall into following a breakup (as well as the support systems that pull people out of the slumps), moments of vulnerability and the empowering presence of friends and family. Just as RAYE puts it, these songs help listeners realize that “the cold never lasts… It just teaches the heart how to burn.”

Spring, though it features much more brightly colored sounds and upbeat stylings, the actual themes of the music are generally much more somber. This section features “I Hate The Way I Look Today.,” “Goodbye Henry.,” “Nightingale Lane.” and “Skin & Bones.” In this section, RAYE describes instances of struggling with body image, being overly self-critical and the idea of people parting ways as a natural part of life (with the help of American singer Al Green). This season also further reflects on moments of heartbreak and how some relationships are built and pursued for the wrong reasons. Spring has sweeping orchestrations and much poppier music, which complements the beauty of these moments of self-development and growth.

Finally, summer concludes the album and features the loudest and biggest sounds of the album; it’s a triumph from start to finish. This season features the aforementioned single “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!,” “Fields.,” “Joy.,” “Happier Times Ahead.” and “Fin.” Here, all of the tracks are upbeat and celebrational numbers that reflect the brightest moments of RAYE’s life. Themes explored include desperation for love, nostalgia and reconnection with the past and emotional resiliency, all concluding with RAYE’s heartfelt “thank you” directed towards listeners for accompanying her on the album’s musical journey and everyone who had a hand in its creation (essentially the album’s credits). This section features collaborations with RAYE’s grandfather and sisters, highlighting the remembrance of the artist’s roots as well as establishing the importance of family.

Overall, to say that this article delivered on supplying hope would be an understatement. It’s jam-packed with RAYE’s uplifting spirit, passion for making music and explosive yet charming personality, and it truly shines through and makes the listening experience. Easily, this is my favorite album of the past year, and I personally think it’ll be extremely hard for any other artist to beat.