"Ripening" by Banoffee

Photo: Jessica

You probably could tell by the enthusiasm on display in my live reviews how I was eager to write about the next Banoffee release and with  "Ripening" coming out this morning, I get to do just that.

Many reviewers will be using the word "sublime" about Banoffee and it's so clearly accurate that I must join them and get it into the article from the start: I truly can't write about the song without using it.

It's been a while arriving  & therefore restraining myself has been necessary. I'm sure the timing relates to practical issues (the band members are also studying currently) but with music this good, building a sense of anticipation can add to impact on release: this is a rare quality of single & worth waiting for.

The song itself is a highlight of their remarkable live shows so no Banoffee fan can be unaware of it & like me presumably yearning to have a copy to keep. They too are probably aware of another already recorded song of theirs with a similar level of sublimity just waiting its turn for the limelight. As noted in my last review of a live show (Izzie Derry's Christmas Show) at which they played, a key indicator for me has been the number of local musicians (especially those we rate ourselves) who are admirers: like everyone else, captivated in an instant.

The joys of Banoffee include their understanding, the emotional frisson and they embrace too a series of dualities. The most glaring one, which admittedly has cropped up in previous articles but it's simply too true and too central to their musical identity not to reiterate, is how the songs seduce you into a comfortable familiarity which suggests they you've known the melody all your life and that its simple: then you watch the fingers and realise the complexity and realise that this is all their own imagination at work . Making this work so apparently effortlessly is some art isn't it?

The studio version is absolutely true to the live renditions: they've worked hard to capture the feeling as well as the essence of the song, which can't be easy with material this intimate. It really does draw you into itself just as well in your own space as in the live venue. Credit to producer Tom Gittins  of Monochrome Productions for his art in helping them to achieve this.

The other aspect of the simple/not-so-simple dynamic is the songs' meaning. In this respect "Ripening" might be their zenith to date. "Maturity" is a relative term insofar as it relates to insights and with this song one might question whether Ella & Cia possess sensitivities more mature than other individuals who may have walked this earth for longer. It's a remarkable reflection on growth & finding one's milestones: novels have tried to cover this amount of ground in thousands more words. A poetic musing pivoting round the concept of seasonal growth.

I'm most pleased to report that you can enjoy Banoffee live on March 20th at The Tin, headlining  our ‘Hot Music Live Presents' fundraiser for that venue alongside The Illusion and DANE-O plus one more act whom we'll be revealing soon.

https://www.universe.com/events/hot-music-live-rosetta-fire-banoffee-the-illusion-dane-o-tickets-GMTBLH