EP: “The Timelapse EP” by Archie Ray
Archie Ray is a singer-songwriter originally from Cornwall, but having spent plenty of time in Dorset, our local music scene has pretty much adopted him as one of our own. Whether performing solo or with a band, Archie has consistently delivered inspiring performances. With his cheeky smile, infectious personality and passionate song writing, he possesses that rather special ability to charm pretty much any audience he finds himself in front of.
He recently got a taste of playing on a larger stage when he landed a support slot with Jack Savoretti at the O2 Academy Bournemouth. Having watched Archie perform, I couldn’t help thinking that he should be playing venues such as this on a regular basis.
During his time in Dorset, Archie has also struck up a friendship with local legend Jack Grace. Jack is something of a musical Swiss Army knife, being a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, session musician and producer, and the pair have now teamed up to create the six-track, all-original *The Timelapse* EP.
With around ten years of experience within the music industry, Jack was able to take Archie’s songs and steadily steer them towards something rather special, helping create what I believe are some of the best tracks Archie has released to date. The EP features predominantly Jack’s instrumentation, alongside Leo Rachlop on cello and Christian Passalacqua on drums, with Archie providing the vocals.
Archie openly admits to having a huge melting pot of influences, including Ed Sheeran, Sam Fender, Lewis Capaldi, Foy Vance, Snow Patrol, The Script, Mumford & Sons and the late, great Glen Hansard, amongst many others. You can certainly hear elements of these influences, but Archie has developed a style that is very much his own. His song writing can move effortlessly from catchy pop melodies to sweeping, passionately emotive numbers.
Like Jack Grace, Archie possesses the ability to move an audience through stirring and evocative soundscapes, while underpinning them with poignant, often intensely personal lyrics.
The EP takes its name from the idea of a *timelapse* because, in many ways, these are songs that have been catching up with Archie. They are tracks he has been performing live for years, but Jack was given the task of hand-picking songs from Archie’s back catalogue of unreleased gems and bringing them into the studio.
And what a selection he has chosen.
The EP opens with **Disappointed**, which immediately finds Archie in a retrospective mood, looking back at a past decision and the consequences it created. His wonderfully descriptive, picture-painting lyrics allow you to see the story unfolding in your head, while his delicately delivered vocals give the song an intimacy that draws you in.
The instrumentation is deliberately understated, with piano and guitar providing a beautifully sparse backdrop that allows Archie’s voice and lyrics to take centre stage. There is no need for overproduction here; the simplicity makes the emotion hit even harder.
**Memory Of The Fade** follows, and once again Archie wears his heart firmly on his sleeve. His vocal delivery carries the sort of raw vulnerability that could probably shatter even the blackest of hearts.
The musical arrangement feels almost like the sound of time itself ticking away, with the sense of movement and passing time building underneath the song. The addition of velvety cello from Leo Rachlop brings another layer of emotion to the track, creating an atmospheric soundscape that feels both haunting and beautiful.
Then comes **The Hope You Get Happy**, which actually made me chuckle.
Anyone familiar with Jack Grace’s solo material will know that the vast majority of it tends to emerge from somewhere slightly darker and more emotionally battered. Jack has even been known to hand out badges at his gigs to those who have cried during his performances!
This song certainly carries some of that DNA. The protagonist is devastated and heartbroken, yet there is no real bitterness towards the person who has caused the pain. Instead, there is something almost wonderfully resigned about it.
The stripped-back acoustic guitar leaves plenty of space for Archie, and his rather enthusiastic deployment of the ‘f’ bomb makes sure you know exactly how he is feeling! It is another example of how effectively he can turn genuine emotion into a song without it ever feeling forced.
**Heavy** takes things in another direction. A plodding, brooding rhythm and bluesy-sounding electric guitar immediately establish a darker atmosphere, while Archie demonstrates yet another side to his vocal range.
The arrangement gradually builds, with meandering strings weaving in and out of the track, creating another beautifully evocative musical landscape. There is a sense of weight to the whole song — appropriately enough — and Archie allows his vocal to sit inside that atmosphere rather than simply singing over the top of it.
**Take It On** is the penultimate track and once again sees Archie pushing his vocals somewhere slightly different. There are definite hints of Paolo Nutini in the delivery here, and musically it is a far more upbeat affair than much of what has preceded it.
This is perhaps the most immediately radio-friendly track on the EP, driven along by pulsating rhythms and some excellent electric guitar work from Jack Grace, which flows beautifully throughout the song. The arrangement gives Archie room to let his vocals bloom, with another glorious overflow of emotion as the track develops.
Finally we arrive at **Time At The Bar**, the only song on the collection that I was already familiar with. It feels much closer to some of Archie’s previous releases and carries an infectious quality that reminds me of some of Ed Sheeran’s more accessible material.
It is one of those songs that burrows its way into your head and refuses to leave. Another Jack Grace guitar solo adds a little extra sparkle, while the relatively simplistic, flowing rhythm allows the song to breathe.
*”Drunk and alone I stumble in the dark”* is the lyric that is repeated towards the end, and let’s be honest, it’s an image that more than a few of us can probably relate to!
*The Timelapse* is an EP that showcases the many different sides of Archie’s musical abilities. From delicate and vulnerable song writing through to bluesy, brooding numbers and more upbeat, radio-friendly offerings, there is plenty here to demonstrate that Archie Ray is far more than just another singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar.
He is one of those artists who deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.
If you have listened to his 2024 single **End Of The Line**, you will already know just how good Archie can be. In fact, I’m still rather surprised that track wasn’t a hit. It is an absolutely brilliant song and, for me, a perfect example of the song writing talent that Archie possesses.
There is a confidence about Archie. He clearly believes in his music, and rightly so. With Jack Grace helping him bring these previously unreleased songs to life, *The Timelapse* feels like another important step forward.
Hopefully this EP — or perhaps one of Archie’s future releases — will finally help him make those dreams a reality.
Because if the Dorset music scene has already adopted Archie Ray as one of our own, perhaps it’s time the rest of the world caught up.
Track Listing
Disappointed
Memory Of The Fade
Hope You Get Happy
Heavy
Time At The Bar
Take It On
Download here.
Links
https://www.facebook.com/archieraymusic
https://www.instagram.com/archieraymusic
Article By David Chinery (Chinners)
