I’m always looking for great new soul albums and was delighted to find this recent release from Scotland’s Brooke Combe. Recorded mainly live and produced by James Skelly of the Coral, there’s something quite special about ‘Dancing at the Edge of the World.’
Beginning with ‘This Town’ she takes to the city streets, dancing, getting free of the rules and the small town she’s from, sounding like she’s world weary and yet carefree at the same time. This song, and much of the album, sounds like it was written for a great Northern soul and indie club.
On ‘Guilt’ her deep, characterful voice sells the song perfectly. ‘Shaken by the Wind’ is feisty, full of confidence and attitude. She takes that even further on LMTFA where she strips back the music and tells someone straight to ‘leave me the fuck alone’. It’s a great lyric, brilliantly delivered.
She gets back on the dance floor on ‘The Last Time’ and ‘Lanewood Pines’, while ‘Pieces’ is a more contemplative, jazzy sounding ballad, showing her RnB influences.
On the final title track, inspired by Ursula Le Guin, she’s at the edge of something not sure whether she will ‘fall’ or ‘fly’. That mix of doubt and confidence is appealing in itself. Before this album she was signed to a record label, recording indie music and feeling restricted. After listening to this album you can sense her freedom and shift towards a more confident future musical direction.
‘Dancing at the Edge of the World’ is short, sharp, stylish and soulful in a way that suggests Brooke Combe is a star in the making. She’s on tour now and plays the Barrowlands next weekend.
TOUR: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/brooke-combe-tickets/artist/5343904
Highway Queens 
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