Born into a creative household, Scottish singer/songwriter Rhona Macfarlane was exposed to folk music from an early age and received classical training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Co-produced with Matt Ingram, her wonderfully honest debut album As The Chaos Unfolds bursts onto the scene full of life, her gorgeous rich, wistful vocals taking us through the highs and lows of self-reflection. It was written at a time of great personal change for Macfarlane and perfectly balances the celebration of belonging with the trials and tribulations of loss and finding yourself.
Key themes of the album are identity, love, mental health, resilience and the ‘coming of age’ experience. ‘Return To The East’ was inspired by a visit to Macfarlane’s hometown of Montrose and reflects on reconnecting with one’s roots. With its soaring string backing, it is a real affirmation of life and a call to overcome doubt. In a similar vein, ‘July Rain’ sees the singer embracing spontaneity and learning to enjoy the simple things in life. This simplicity is also found in the rich piano line of ‘Let The River Flow’ and dreamy quality of ‘Blue Sky’, which offer a moment of introspection and invite us to take life at a slower pace.
Darker themes begin to creep in with ‘Outside Looking In’, in which Macfarlane reflects on feeling like an outsider, the instrumental and vocal layers dropping away for the chorus and leaving her exposed and vulnerable. And in the melancholic ‘See You Grow’ and ‘The Tide’, Macfarlane opens up about processing loss and struggling to let go after the end of a relationship.
‘Where Do You Go?’ is perhaps the most heartbreaking track on the album. Accompanied by a beautifully moving piano and string melody, it sees Macfarlane watching someone close to her struggle with their mental health and feeling helpless. Similarly, in ‘These Days’, she reflects on the pain of seeing a loved one push everyone away and locked in a seemingly endless battle with their inner demons. These two tracks serve as a stark reminder not to give up on others and to show compassion wherever possible, because you never know what someone might be going through.
The fierce ‘Heal Yourself’ offers a spark of hope, its raw intensity breaking through the clouds like a ray of sunlight, something which carries over into the final (and title) track of the album, ‘As The Chaos Unfolds’. Partly inspired by the Scottish novel ‘Sunset Song’, which resonated with Macfarlane for its connection to the landscape and her roots, it is deeply melancholic – and yet at the same time full of hope, showing us a way out of the swirling chaos and into the light.
It is clear how much Macfarlane’s homeland means to her, for even though they are not always named, the wild Scottish landscapes speak to us from each track, from the steady meandering of a river through the countryside to windswept craggy hillsides, crashing seas and sunny plains of heather. As The Chaos Unfolds is a fantastic showcase for Macfarlane’s unique storytelling ability and sound and gives us a taste for what is to come.
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