“Northern Star” is a gorgeously personal four-track EP that explores life’s transient moments, our connection to the natural world, and the tiny instances that make life so lovely, from British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin. Shining with warmth and authenticity, with Aplin’s signature storytelling at its core, the collection is produced by Liz Horsman and Mike Spencer. With a special guest appearance from Alfie Hudson-Taylor of the Irish folk duo Hudson Taylor, “Northern Star” is a glowing testament to embracing life’s simple, transient wonders.
The EP centers around “Go Be Free,” a wiggy atmospheric jam that already has a cinematic home in the 2025 film “Last Breath,” featuring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis. With its haunting melodies and heart-wrenching lyricism, the song is a beautiful reminder of freedom, hope, and the beauty of surrender.
The way Aplin can take the mundane and turn it into something special is on full display on “Magnolia,” a tender and deeply poignant yet understated track about finding joy in the little magical moments that are so easily overlooked. The song has a soft, glowing, nostalgic quality, like something seen through golden light, memory, and glows, and accompanied by a visualizer filmed at one of her favorite places.
“Little Light,” featuring the soul-tinged harmonies of Alfie Hudson-Taylor, adds a lush, folk-inspired timber to the EP. The track is tender but spirited, a reminder that we always return home through the warmth and light in our lives, even when things are bleak. The EP wraps up with “Home To Me,” a searing track dripping with emotion, anchoring Gabrielle’s soaring vocals over sparse instrumentation to craft a gut-wrenching anthem about love and the comforts of home and belonging.
Speaking about “Northern Star,” Aplin tells me that it’s essentially about finding meaning in the circles of life and nature, a sentiment felt in every note and lyric. A quiet and beautiful journey through reflection, love, and beauty, “Northern Star” is an exercise in stripped-back production and soul-stirring melodies.
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