Featured on Spotify editorial: FRESH FINDS, FRESH FINDS: POP, SALT - vicious hard hitting pop

Motormouth

As an artist and disability activist, Newcastle’s alt-pop troubadour Ruth Lyon mixes home-made beats, mellow keys and an organic rhythm section to explore being an outsider with naked, visceral honesty; a sound instilled with rich melancholy but delivered with attitude. 

After treating us to her debut EP ‘Nothing’s Perfect’, Ruth returns with a dark, soulful new single ‘Black Hole’. - a dark, spacey banger, infused with groove, soul and generous choruses. The opening line “I had to pull it all part, cos I see better in the dark” sets the mood perfectly for this powerful piece of work, intoxicating with its honesty and ethereal edge. Released 1st March on Ruth's own Pink Lane Records, just in time for her US debut at SXSW, Austin Texas.

Ruth says “I wrote Black Hole very fast, in one day. There was very little to rewrite or consider – it kind of wrote itself. I wanted to explore the power of the self. Like all of us, I’ve had a tough time over the last few years, and at times have been sucked into whirlpools of anxiety, sadness, sometimes anger. But I drag people down with me, and it’s always those closest. And I never see it at the time. This song is a kind of therapy and acknowledgment of that - I’m taking responsibility. 

And the flip side, the bit unsaid, is that we all have the power to do the opposite, to lift people up. We all have mess bubbling under the surface, but it’s about making sure that the good stuff shines through. 

Musically I'm really enjoying the vibe of artists like Noga Erez, PinkPatheress and yeh, Billie Eillish. I wanted to take some of that and mix it with the more organic, classic songwriting that I’ve always loved - Carole King, Nina Simone. You know, the greats”

Black Hole

Produced and mixed by John Parish. Engineered by Oliver Baldwin. Recorded at J&J Studio Bristol. Mastered by Jason Mitchell at LOUD Mastering. 

Photography by Tasha Barker.

Clown

Produced and mixed by John Parish. Engineered by Oliver Baldwin. Recorded at J&J Studio Bristol. Mastered by Jason Mitchell at LOUD Mastering. 

Photography by Janina Sabaliauskaite.

Trouble

Ruth Patterson’s debut single, ‘Sink or Swim’, is a searing and introspective deep-dive into her own state of mind.

“This is about living with mental instability and the battle to keep our heads above water”, Ruth states of ‘Sink or Swim’. “It’s written about a panic attack I had last year and I really felt like I was drowning… the loss of control, disappearing reality, not knowing when it will end.” 

Under the mentorship of Fiona Brice (Anna Calvi, John Grant), Ruth’s tempestuous string quartet arrangements simmer, swell and break into the chorus before disappearing into the brooding calm of the verse, only to churn and swell again. Lyrically there is a powerful sense of the sea, of time, of nature: a poetry of metamorphosis as “growing into the ground, bodies turn to clay” and body heat “flows away” into the cold blackness of the ocean; an encompassing sense of loss and dread. But there is redemption: “I know you’ll bring me back this time”. The track was brought to life alongside Matt Terry (producer of the Noisettes and The Royal Shakespeare Company Orchestra) at his own VADA Studios and the mix engineer wizardry of Gareth Jones, who’s production credits include Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and Goldfrapp.

“Mental health problems are very prominent in my family and, growing up, it’s something that we were always able to talk about,” Ruth continues. “I am very fortunate to see my mental health as “normal”. We are all a little bit nuts and I think it’s part of being human. Being super sensitive, I feel everything around me in a really intense way: emotions, feelings, weather, sounds. Experiencing life in high definition can be wonderful but also destructive. At times, it can feel like an electrical storm in my head. 

“I guess this song is me sharing my own experiences and hopefully it will connect with other people that maybe feel the same way. It seems with everything that's going on, the whole world is living in a state of anxiety. We've all lost a sense of control as our reality is so rapidly changing. Now, more than ever, we need to have these conversations.”

‘Sink or Swim’ is released June 26th on Patterson’s own label, Pink Lane Records, with accompanying video created by American animator Rafael Bonilla Jr.

Sink Or Swim

Rising singer/composer Ruth Patterson releases her second solo single, the elegant yet elusive ‘Somebody Else’ on her own Pink Lane label on September 25th. Working once again with Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Nick Cave), and guided by composer Fiona Brice (Gorillaz, Anna Calvi), Ruth Patterson’s new release is lyrically reminiscent of the introspection and self-questioning of Nick Drake whilst sonically as lush as Angelo Badalamenti at his most fey and whimsical.

"Somebody Else is about identity in love and identity in performance. Maybe they're the same thing?" 

The song is deliberately structured with entirely acoustic instruments: Ruth’s close vocals quiver and tremble as she evokes birds and souls whilst the orchestral arrangement breathes in sync with Ruth’s narrative and is almost floral in its use of pizzicato, with blue autumnal tones creeping in on the clarinet. The chorus, despite its heartbreak sentiment, offers an uplifting sense of acceptance in its resolve. 

“I will sing for you, no matter what you do, even if I have to be somebody else.” 

This is about love, but Ruth is also breaking the fourth wall and talking to us. She says “It’s a kind of questioning of authenticity in this weird world of pretend and performance.” It is with this desire for answers, and a need to push creativity to reveal a truth that fuels Patterson’s output. It then will come as no surprise that she starred in and directed the song’s music video; an abstract yet candid presentation of that day’s interpretation of the song’s deeper meanings.

Ruth will be performing her first live show with string quartet and special guest musicians at Sage Gateshead in February 2021 and her debut EP is currently in production, due to be released Spring next year.

Somebody Else

"Offbeat, sophisticated chamber pop and anti-folk commanded  by soulful vocals and raw lyricism"

Newcastle artist Ruth Lyon releases her new single "Trouble", teasing a new chapter for the project following her recent appearance at SXSW 2022 and the release of her 2021 debut EP 'Nothing's Perfect'.

​Influenced by acts such as Fiona Apple, Aldous Harding and Regina Spektor, on new single "Trouble" and her soon-to-be-released new material, Lyon explores themes of self-doubt, insecurity, emotional masochism, and the weight of arbitrary expectations - all unravelling through offbeat, sophisticated chamber pop and anti-folk, commanded by her soulful vocals and witty yet raw lyricism.

Produced by John Parish (PJ Harvey, Aldous Harding), new single "Trouble" opens with the line “I woke up wondering when I’m going to die.” It’s a track that captures the essence of anxiety, of the expectations heaped upon us at every turn; yet at the same time, it celebrates unknowingness and wildness.

Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration behind new single "Trouble", Ruth said:

“This is a reaction against this idea of perfection that society has us believe is the goal, when actually it’s a short cut to death. I’ve never been able to tread the path of least resistance, but nor would I want to. I am hard work, I am difficult, I don’t want to be boxed up with a neat little bow with my labels printed on it. I am trouble and I love it.”

 

Known for her work as a key and active member of the Newcastle music scene, notably her role on the board of directors at Sage Gateshead and vocalist and co-founder of Newcastle cult folk-rockers Holy Moly & The Crackers, Ruth Lyon is also an ardent advocate for the Disabled community through her work as an ambassador for Attitude Is Everything - a charity that aims to improve accessibility for Deaf and Disabled people in live music; Lyon herself has been a wheelchair user since the age of 21.

Ruth Lyon's debut appearance at SXSW earlier this year was another key point inspiration. Not only performing at the British Music Embassy showcase alongside Walt Disco, Lottery Winners and Self Esteem, she also spoke on a panel and performed at a showcase with fellow Disabled artists Eliza Hull and Lachi, from Australia and the US respectively. Here, she heard brand new perspectives on community and accessibility, and was deeply moved to witness the performances from her fellow artists which spoke to their own experiences. “It was almost like a spiritual thing for me,” she says. “I came back and realised this career is so much bigger than myself. I think I have a duty to push this as far as I can and to be as honest as I can.”

Ruth Lyon's new single "Trouble" is out now, with upcoming headline dates in October in London, York and Newcastle.

Ruth Lyon

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