Torch-singing, guitar-taming, pop-noir maverick Gemma Ray returns to London to headline the Borderline. This is her first UK date since the release of her latest and most ambitious album, Island Fire, which is a thrilling and encyclopaedic trip through Gemma’s ever-growing, over-flowing bag of tricks. From lavish orchestral alt-pop (Bring Ring Ring Yeah), to intimate stop-you-in-your-tracks tracks (Flood And A Fire), to bitter-sweet girl-group-sounds (Put Your Brain In Gear) to brooding psychedelia (Make It Happen) and much more besides. Runaway, is Link Wray’s guitar laid over a cheap drum machine, but bottle-rocketed to a new level of posh, courtesy of vocal harmonies galore and runaway (yes, runaway) strings. It shouldn’t really make sense. On paper it probably doesn’t. But that’s the whole point of being taken by surprise, right?
"Stylistically grand and wilfully eccentric" - WORD ****
“Fabulous. She proves she is tasteful as well as gifted” – Q ****
"Ray braids reverberating pop-noir and moody twang with a sharp melodic edge and cutting wit. Should crank up her cult kudos!" - INDEPENDENT ****
“This national treasure’s songs offer bouquets of bespoke thrills and spills of the sort that make Lana del Rey seem like a very poor relation” – THE MIRROR ****
"Thoroughly enjoyable and admirably eclectic" - SUNDAY TIMES ****
“Packed with thoughtful adventure and mischief. A true gem” - MOJO ****