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Photo: Jamal Thomas

“labour” is a product of unbridled feminine rage, the kind that has been stewing silently for generations before finally boiling over. It sounds as if it were made for a Game of Thrones battle march, and emerging singer-songwriter Paris Paloma leans into this strong-willed allure with her folky sorcery. The UK-based artist confides in mythology and history within her empowering discography, cultivating a uniquely compelling sound.

Paloma croons out poetry in her aching, deep voice, mapping caverns along the edges of the arrangement. She sings of frustration passed down from ancestor to ancestor—the crushing weight of womanhood so often perpetuated by a partner. The songwriter lends a voice to every silenced woman, fueling her performance with their collective, quiet fury. “For somebody I thought was my savior / you sure make me do a whole lot of labour,” she sings. The chorus flares with a wide palette of harmonies, sounding almost like a squadron of voices joining as one. “labour” is a cathartic catch-all for releasing frustrations, but it also instills a hopeful sense of sisterhood all the while.

I’m entranced by the acoustic bass that converses with Paloma's vocals, offering a constant counter-melody to her words. It plucks out a percussive march beneath her humming voice, adding an extra edge of medieval haunt to the underlying ambience. In moments where a guitar solo might typically emerge, the bass dances forward with an elegance that exemplifies the determined femininity radiating from the song.

Paris Paloma breathes feminine fire with every hauntingly beautiful melody hummed in “labour.” Articulating the silenced storm that so many endure, this alternative-folk track is an important listen.

Watch the "labour" video below: