Danny Mulae Presents WINTER TV Album Review — Fireside Folk

Posted on by Alex Winters

A light acoustic guitar riff ripples into a soft-spoken vocal melody. The fragile, dreamlike tone is anchored just close enough to the ground by the steady drum beat and bass grooves to keep the song from floating away. Female vocals layer into the lead singer’s lines through a flowing harmony, which rises into a-cappella-like backing vocals that fill the chorus with a splash of dreamy ambience.

In Danny Mulae’s self-titled EP Winter TV, whimsical folk timbre and lyrics are woven into brief, contemplative tales. The vocals blend a conversational lyrical style into tranquil guitar variations, with high reverb distortions. Mulae's lyrical range delves into themes of vulnerability and memory through relaxed vocals. We hear reflective lyrics and lively instrumental rhythms.

Drums propel the driving tempo of Not Even through heavy use of suspended cymbals that wrap the tone in an echoing, nostalgic layer. Ghost notes played on the hi-hat complement lulling guitar progressions that shift in and out of twinkling riffs.

I can’t help feelin’ like

I’m so far

I wish you really knew me

But not even a possibility

The lead vocals play with subtle backing harmonies that accent deeper layers of acceptance and frustration beneath the softer folk inflection of his voice. Twilight seems to loom over Winter TV as it wavers between dissolving memories and cadences of optimism and curiosity. We feel a trace of loneliness inhabiting the underlying lyrical mood of Not Even. The singer’s gloom contrasts with the tender, ethereal tones.

Danny Mulae’s WINTER TV Evokes Moods of Whimsy and Heartache

The instruments crescendo into playful rhythms as the lead guitar falls back on dreamy, ambient chords. Meanwhile, the bass groove and drums drive the melody for a short time. Such tempos often follow a consistent toe-tapping flow that mixes soothing acoustic strumming patterns and twangy, surf-rock-like distortions. Like a wanderer exploring uncharted places, the EP’s swirl of moods delves into bouts of introspection and pining for warmth in the depths of the wilderness.

Coming up cherry pie…

But if you come around here,

You won’t be alone

Nothing’s too good for you in the unknown

Mulae’s vocals encompass broad gradients, from boyish wonder and remembrance in Middle School Crush, to musings about mortality and isolation in But Really. Melancholic phrases and bright tones convey tension in both the vocal range and the instruments throughout Winter TV. You, too, may feel like most tracks would feel at home sung by the glow of a fire pit.

If you don’t mind the concise run time of Winter TV, those who appreciate the personal, ambient themes of folk music may find good company in the EP’s youthful longing for connection and authenticity.

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Winter TV is available on all major streaming services and can also be accessed via this Winter TV link.

Photos courtesy of James Murphy of Trainman Photography

 

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Alex Winters

About the Author: Alex Winters

Although unsure of where his affinity for music and writing began, Alex Winters enjoys finding new, often unconventional music, reading novels, writing fiction inspired by the niche of eerie, post-apocalyptic sci-fi, and working on crossword puzzles. Being outdoors is another hobby he enjoys, which led him to take up long-distance running by himself at first, but he gradually warmed to the idea of meeting with a small running group (when it’s not freezing outside). When he isn’t listening to his instrumental rock playlists, writing, or both, he tries to find time to hike mountain trails with his family and friends.

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