It was under the guise of The Astral Plane Parade that we were first introduced to Hugo Costin. The far-reaching scope of his otherwordly music immediately caught our attention. With his delicate instrumental arrangements and spirited vocal melodies, he transported us into his vast musical universe.
Now, over a year since we first laid ears on his Strutting Through The Stars EP, he has returned under his own name, sharing a new collection of powerfully sparse folk gems. If you’re not already familiar with this name, now is the perfect time to change that.
On his poignant new album Oranges, Hugo Costin delivers a collection of songs that find an unlikely power in reservedness.
Over the course of its seven tracks, his new album Oranges takes the shape of a sonic apparition. The album never really begins and never really ends; it eases itself into existence, floats through a series of different coloured rooms, and leaves on a whisper. Like a dream, the record will leave you with a shapeless feeling, as opposed to a concrete memory. This, however, is far more powerful than any direct message.
The album’s title track, Oranges, opens the record with a tender strength. With his subtly emotive voice and graceful guitar work, Costin is able to craft lush soundscapes out of minimalist arrangements. Oranges is the album’s first showcase of this.
Fool In Love somehow manages to strip things back even further, finding power in a ghostly sense of quiet. Madeline, on the other hand, is a standout track, incorporating more straight forward folk-pop elements.
By the time The Sun And The Moon reaches its final moments, you’ll undoubtedly have been drawn into a trance by Costin.
Listen to the new album above.
