Jodie Nicholson: Safe Hands [Album]

I first saw Jodie Nicholson perform at Twisterella Festival '21. It was one of those unforgettable live music moments - an extended time of pin-drop hush and electric tension. A great memory. But it was a short festival set, and I've been wanting to hear more from her ever since. More on the live experience soon … for now, there's a beautiful new album to talk about.

'Safe Hands' is such an appropriate name for a record with this level of intimacy and close warmth. It's an embrace, and an expression of Jodie's pure self. There are 12 tracks, and each one is carefully and tenderly built. The whole record is considered and thoughtful, and all of it feels important. Jodie is never one to waste any time in her music, and she's extended that attitude across the whole 49 minutes of the album.

It's also somewhat of a progressive record, showing a new side to Jodie while remaining steadfastly  true to her innate style, and her constant commitment to quality.

The album (which was self-produced and recorded in Newcastle's Blank Studios), begins with ‘You Wanted This’ the last of the three singles Jodie released in the run up to the full  album release. It’s a tantalising start with piano chords ringing out boldly and crisply yet softly while Jodie sings “I wanted this …” in interesting contrast to the title, before the shift of focus and development of the story: "You wanted this ..."

There’s a moment of energy increase when the synth bass joins, and a little later the intensity steps up more significantly when the so-far subtle rhythm finally resolves into something much more upbeat. The song becomes cinematic and exciting before it closes, providing a beautiful gateway into the next 11 tracks.

Track two, ‘Bad Dream’, feels like a natural progression as it features more of that piano, playing gently insistent chords rich on their 4th and 7th notes, but elevates it and develops other ideas a lot further. There's a lovely combination of organic instrumentation (the drum production is exquisite, right from the moment the percussion arrives in a lovely casual fill) melded with rich synths.  

The other two singles are sprinkled through the LP: ‘Another Frequency’ was released in February as a harbinger of the slight shift in Jodie’s style which she’s presented to us in 2024. It’s a little more pacey, with layered octave-spread vocals. ‘What If I’ sits in the middle of the album: a tender ballad, established on a soft acoustic guitar and keyboard, with dusky vocals, glued into a long and subtle build – much more traditional Jodie Nicholson territory. The denouement is big in contrast with the start of the song, but not huge, and lyrically, "What if I lose sight of you?" remains unanswered. But this is all the more tantalising, and that theme flows through into the song which follows ('Starlight').

Elsewhere on ‘Safe Hands’, there are some moments of purer vocalism: in the more ballad-like 'Pity You Had To Leave', Jodie's voice sounds particularly pure and stunning as she reflects more personally, "Why should I let you / Escape from my tongue / With all of these one-way streets you seem to have me run ..." Meanwhile, 'Situation' sees her musing with veiled words and a clear voice on an intense, ambiguous situation-ship; and 'Love, I'm On Fire' is starkly and strikingly lovely, with Jodie proving that she needs nowhere to hide as she deliver crisply enunciated words into an almost empty space.

There's a different approach in 'Embers', where three simple notes on the piano somehow become a motif of inestimable beauty, setting the scene for and then supporting an irresistible electronic arpeggio; and again, in 'Here I am' which is centred this time on a clean electric guitar strum and brush-played drums, with a piano and Jodie's open vocals providing continuity and stability.

That feel is also found in the final track, 'Flesh & Blood' which is stunning in its simplicity, and leads us carefully through the final minutes carefully into one of the purest endings imaginable.

Despite these variations and a generous degree of experimentation, this is very much a record which feels consistent. There are repeating themes: that piano, for example, which begins to feel like a familiar and welcome guest; a heartbeat-like, pulsing electronic bass drum; the use of repeated lyrics ... 'Safe Hands' is an album which rewards patience in the listener, and I'm guessing will richly reward Jodie for the months of hard work which have been poured into it.

Jodie Nicholson is now on tour, with several dates still to come in London at the time of writing: check her website for details. You can find and follow Jodie on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, Spotify or Apple Music.