Album Review: Julia Mosley: Ballad of A Murderess

Words by Anselm Anderson

English Songstress Julia Mosley is set to release her fourth studio album Ballad of a Murderess next month via her own record label, Opalite Records.

The follow-up to 2021's Illuminate the Night is her darkest release. It is a concept album that tells the tale of a Mythological world through three eras of the past, a quasi-present day and a Future Era. The complex narrative is conveyed through engaging music. 

I first became aware of Julia Mosley a couple of years ago and was taken aback by her versatile vocal range, accompanied by her ambidextrous piano skills. I remember comparing her between Kate Bush and Florence and The Machine. The album was the first to be recorded at Illumilight Studios in an Ancient Temple. This helps contribute to an eerie and sinister album.

Mosley hails from Stoke-on-Trent, England, she first began writing songs at the age of Fifteen years old. The singer/songwriter has won numerous awards, gaining valuable training from ex-Leaves Eyes vocalist Liv Kristine.  Ballad of a Murderess is a 14-track journey of enchanting vocal melodies and engaging poetry. The story centres on the protagonist that falls in love with a character that isn't what they thought they were. In this Gothic Romance, the protagonist, represented by light, is seduced by darkness, represented by a flame.

The journey throughout is divided by monologues, such as 'The Flame', 'Red and Orange' and 'The Pre-Raphaelite River' showcases Mosley's stark storytelling with an eerie tone. The album segues into 'Luna Moth', a track with Victorian and Edwardian influences. This expressive track highlights Mosley's vocal ranges between slow, whispered tales of angst and high, falsetto cries of anguish.

The album is evenly paced with the slow, powerful songs accompanied by haunting keys like on the Medieval Fantasy-inspired 'Rosemoon'. This celestial descent into darkness on the emotionally charged 'Slipping Away'. The gentle ballad 'The Universe' is a heart-wrenching tribute over a subtle piano-laden track. The haunting 'Zachary' strikes with pop sensibilities and arrangements forming an evocative song that will leave goosebumps standing. The quasi-feminist anthem 'A Thousand Years' is a tale of vengeance. This is the closest to an angry track on the album, supplemented by a horn section.

And finally, 'Ballad of a Murderess' completes the protagonist's ascent to darkness. This gothic track is told over the cadence of a dark piano sound.

Overall, Ballad of a Murderess is an intriguing tale of love and betrayal told through Edwardian and Victorian influences. Mosley writes a compelling story, which can feel a little deep for this writer. In conclusion, Mosley continues to combine literature with dark, empowering music through arrangements and the piano. This powerful force helps to elevate Julia Mosley as a new contender for gothic music.

Rating: 4/5

'Ballad of a Murderess' will be available to via all streaming platforms in August 2023. You can pre-order a copy of the CD now via https://www.juliamosley.co.uk/shop

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You can read more about the story behind the album via the link below

https://www.juliamosley.co.uk/

You can read the review for 'Illuminate the Night' here

You can watch 'Ballad of a Murderess' via the Julia Mosley YouTube channel below