Olivia Rafferty’s geoscience-inspired album
© Helen Messenger
Earth science has at times inspired the creation of music, including contemplation of deep time by modern classical composer John Luther Adams, ambient chamber works by Michael Begg and storytelling in folk song by Karine Polwart. But until now there have been few pop songs inspired by geology, with a notable exception of Björk’s ‘Mutual Core’, which draws parallels between tectonic plates and human connections. So, the new album Typical Forever from London-based Scottish singer-songwriter Olivia Rafferty is welcome, born of enthusiasm and wonder when learning about the planet.
Musicians take risks by putting their heart and soul into a work and releasing it into the world, so this joining of science and creativity is commended. The project was seeded by a lockdown winter watching geology lectures online, with subsequent background research leading to an insight that Earth’s processes could be viewed as analogous to events in our life as humans; as Olivia writes, “Who you are is made up of a bedrock of layers and layers of all the people you once were”.
© Olivia Rafferty
The album’s title is a nod to Charles Lyell’s principle of uniformitarianism. The indy pop songs build on themes such as ancient precipitation before life emerged (‘Raindrops’), catastrophic floods (‘Coulee City Rodeo Queen’), cycles of erosion and mountain building (‘Cascade’), plate tectonics (‘Juan de Fuca’), volcanic landmarks (‘Lion Eats the Stars’), seismic simulations (‘Earthquake Room’), reflections on change (‘Fossils’) and a future era without humanity (‘Green Skies’). Overdubbed harmonies help to give some songs an epic feel, such as on the standout track ‘Cascade’. Elsewhere, a stripped-down approach with acoustic guitar and evocative vocals leads to a more intimate atmosphere, echoing fellow Scottish singer-songwriter K T Tunstall’s EP Scarlet Tulip.
Listening evokes memories of the 2024 Geological Society of London’s ‘Earth’s Canvas’ concert in the Upper Library at Burlington House, where Olivia sang accompanied only by her guitar, gently engaging the audience in this iconic setting. Typical Forever should appeal across a broad range of age, geological enthusiasm and musical interest. This album, along with other music inspired by Earth, can help to communicate geology to fresh audiences in new ways at a time when the discipline seeks to increase its recognition and impact across society.
Reviewed by Steve Garrett
Details
BY: Olivia Rafferty (release date: 7 March 2025)
PRICE: £12 (digital) or £15 (CD + digital)
https://oliviarafferty.bandcamp.com/album/typical-forever
