Emma Ruth Rundle’s latest single “Blooms of Oblivion” intimately reflects on an experience that was too big for her as a child — “Down at the methadone clinic we waited / hoping to take home your cure / The curdling cowards, the crackle of china / you say that it’s making you pure” she sings. For anyone that’s endured trauma and grief, there’s a beautiful solace in hearing Rundle articulate and humanize that particular type of pain not only with her words, but with her unique mysterious language of melody and timbre. Her forthcoming album, Engine of Hell captures a moment where a masterful songwriter strips away all flourishes and embellishments in order to make every note and word hit with maximum impact, leaving little to hide behind.
Today’s soft spoken guitar ballad “Blooms of Oblivion” comes alongside a vivid and compelling new video which she co-directed with John Bradburn. She explains, “In the video I use an oversized coat to represent an oversized and burdening experience for the little girl. The feeling of being free falling in chaos. Having no control over your circumstances. The song and video describe the feelings I had as a little girl and how that’s shaped who I have become – negotiating with my past and waking to the woman I strive to become through self-love, self parenting and forgiveness and the transformation that it can bring.”
Emma Ruth Rundle has always been a multifaceted musician, equally capable of dreamy abstraction (as heard on her debut album Electric Guitar: One), maximalist textural explorations (see her work in Marriages, Red Sparowes, Nocturnes or collaborations with Chelsea Wolfe and Thou), and the classic acoustic guitar singer-songwriter tradition (exemplified by Some Heavy Ocean). But on Engine of Hell, Rundle focuses on an instrument that she left behind in her early twenties when she began playing in bands: the piano. In combination with her voice, the piano playing creates a kind of intimacy, as if we’re sitting beside Rundle on the bench, or perhaps even playing the songs ourselves
The instrument of Rundle’s childhood is the perfect vehicle for an album that is essentially a collection of memories from her youth, though one doesn’t need to dig too deep to realize Engine of Hell isn’t some saccharine nostalgia trip. As the album progresses, it becomes apparent that Engine of Hell is more memoir than pure poetry.
“For me this album is the end of an era to the end of a decade of making records. Things DO have to change and have changed for me since I finished recording it.” In essence, Engine of Hell signifies a major turning point for Rundle as both an artist and as a person. The catharsis of this type of songwriting has effectively served its purpose, and to continue ruminating on the past going forward is less of a healing process and more like picking at a scab and refusing to let it heal. This may help explain why Rundle is less than enthusiastic about divulging the details about her muses, but it doesn’t alter the fact that these songs served a purpose in their creation, and that they may continue to bring comfort to others.
Engine of Hell sees its release on November 5, 2021 via Sargent House. To pre-order, go here. Rundle has announced her first performance since 2019 at Substance LA taking place on November 26 at The Belasco Theater along with an EU/UK Spring 2022 run.
