Music

A singers ode to her healing journey after a traumatic head injury

Image by Marc Willis

Music can represent feelings that are not able to be expressed through language alone. And few experiences capture something as raw and meaningful as the road to recovery. For Christchurch artist Bryony Matthews, a traumatic head injury was a life changing event that paved a rough journey home. Her upcoming album BRAIN STORM is a documentation of her recovery and the different stages she experienced on during her rehabilitation.

Due for release on July 31, BRAIN STORM centres on the aftermath of the accident and the challenges that followed. Upcoming single Storm is the opening chapter, recounting the injury itself and the beginning of recovery. It's followed previously released track Recovery and new songs Tinnitus Train, Drunk Symptom, Trauma Waves and A Letter To My Brain.

Across the album, Matthews combines singer-songwriter foundations with arrangements that support the themes of each chapter. The resulting record focuses on recovery, adaptation and reflection, drawing directly from personal experiences.

Musically, the songs are sublime. Lush electronic waves with a distinct 80s film soundtrack quality, alongside vivid lyricism. Following the album's release, Bryony will take BRAIN STORM on the road for a series of theatre performances around Aotearoa.

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