‘A cinematic and dramatic track filled with sublime musical storytelling.’

 Based in Cheltenham, singer songwriter duo ‘Saint Senara’ – formed of Chloe Gorman and Andrew Bate – are on a mission to be heard. Starting out with a debut performance in 2022 at Cheltenham Jazz Festival, they have since released 10 tracks which encapsulate their approach of not fitting firmly into one genre. Following on from a 2024 EP, ‘Under My Skin’ which carried Americana and bluesy tendencies, and the gritty sound of single ‘There’s A Storm Coming’, ‘Lost Lisa Marie’ transcends anything you’ve heard from them before.

Instantly setting the tone of their latest track, ‘Lost Lisa Marie’, a combination of brooding ringing guitars and heartbeat percussion kicks off what is to be a cinematic and dramatic four minutes of sublime musical storytelling. A story which takes a dark, sea-centred, slightly twisted tale of falling in love with the wrong man. But don’t think of experiencing a wallowing sadness. Saint Senara’s intention is immediately clear: They want to make you listen, to make you surround yourself in their sound, and most of all, to become part of the story.

Led by a softness of vocal from Chloe Gorman, the narrative itself contrasts beautifully with the delivery. The content could be projected with force, carry an anger-tinged quality even, and yet the connection you feel as a listener is somehow greater by it being exactly the opposite. There is even a quietly enticing edge to phrases such as ‘he shot me and he buried me deep‘. See what I mean about the darkness.

Developing in the background of these wondrous vocals, the omnipresent percussive beat becomes surrounded by a blend of bass lines, distortion-tinged motifs and increasingly dominant haunting sounds. Climaxing as an instrumental setting of the previous vocal phrases, that early softness takes on an anger-driven sound. Pushing the tempo via these textural changes really is a master stroke. One which relies on musicality of the highest level.

‘But tonight, tonight things will change
There’s nowhere to run and no-one to blame
Our icy hands will reach up and grab his face
And drag him to a watery grave.’

Instead of taking what could be considered the easy route – that of dramatically increasing the tempo – the sea of sonic wonder we experience throws the understated opening aside to reveal a much related, but much more dynamic atmosphere. Bringing a controlled musical brashness via defined, yet dominating guitar lines, the seamless blend of harmonic and melodic elements enables us to experience Saint Senara’s musical intentions to the full. Even if you are listening distantly you get sucked in deeply. So deeply in fact that you hear, somehow, the clicking of castanets and the tinkling of tambourines cutting through this dense texture.

Maintaining the now established driving nature of the track, those previously subtle vocals erupt, soaring both above and within their surroundings. This of course is where everything has been heading to. If the drama comes too early, there is nowhere to go. Too late, and the effect may be, like Lisa Marie, lost. But, in giving a little more within each section, and musically foreshadowing what is to come, the resulting contrast to the opening makes complete sense.

There is also, it has to be said, a change in the narrative direction which works perfectly with the aforementioned delivery. Unlike the beginning, the storytelling here is full of dramatic phrases depicting a lack of surrender and more a sense of rebirth. Lines such as ‘Tonight things will change’ project confidence and power. ‘Nowhere to run and no-one to blame’ matches the near chaotic, tempo-teetering surroundings. And the final soft setting of the title-centred lyrics seamlessly blends the two intentions within the story together. If one thing is for certain, Saint Senara’s musicality isn’t lost on me.

Catch Saint Senara as part of Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s ‘Around Town’ programme at:
The Brewery Quarter: Saturday 3 May 2025
The Bottle of Sauce: Sunday 4 May 2025