Listen: Tiny Ruins & Hamish Kilgour - "Hurtling Through"

photo by Georgie Craw

Right around the time New Zealand singer/songwriter Hollie Fullbrook aka Tiny Ruins played her first CMJ show in 2013 she connected with Hamish Kilgour of The Clean. Originally sitting in with her for a couple of shows that week, it's a relationship that ultimately ended up being more fruitful than just guest appearances at Fullbrook's NYC shows. Late last they released Hurtling Through, an EP recorded over the better part of a year in between tours.

In terms of Tiny Ruins' previous output, "Hurtling Through" probably most resembles what listeners heard during Fullbrook and Kilgour's initial CMJ pairing in style alone since the two hadn't even worked on the EP's tracks together then. Kilgour's touch is minimal and unobtrusive but hardly frivolous: his percussive embellishments setting Tiny Ruins normal folksy ruminations slightly askew in a way that's certainly refreshing. Also Kilgour's addition of windchimes, tambourine, and jaw harp give the song a delightful amount of color. Fullbrook continues to be impressive form - craft a tale of love and support that's intimate and interesting in its gentle tug of war. Fullbrook has long shown an understanding and appreciation for human nature and how people actually behave that's helped to imbue her songs with a sense of naturalism and that's on display here as Fullbrook explores the very real reaction of when support is offered and not necessarily wanted. In "Hurtling Through" the support given isn't easily accepted and there's a bit of emotional spillover between the would-be helper and the person they feel obliged to help.



Fullbrook's lyrics always seem to be at their peak when she takes a small ephemeral moment or universal truth and expounds upon it (like Brightly Painted One standout "Me At The Museum, You At The Wintergardens"), and that's certainly true of "Hurtling Through". The EP is a wonderful follow up to her previous effort, her sophomore full length Brightly Painted One and "Hurtling Through" is a worthwhile introduction to Fullbrook's collaboration with Hamish Kilgour. A set of 7 strong songs, it certainly bodes well for the next Tiny Ruins full length so here's hoping that's not too far away.

The collaborative Tiny Ruins & Hamish Kilgour Hurtling Through EP is out now and available for purchase via Fullbrook's Bandcamp and available in physical versions via Bella Union in Europe, Spunk! Records in Australia, or Flying Nun in Fullbrook's native New Zealand.