As part of Refugee Week, in support of the charity Help Refugees UK, and in response to his own emotional distress at the unfolding scenes of these past years, Nick Mulvey releases ‘Myela’. The powerful and intricate lyrics take us on a journey from reports of individual hardship, such as the fragile figure of 21-year-old Sudanese refugee Sonya Jae, to painfully familiar images painted through lines like “better to die once in the sea, than to die in everyday you stay,” to a surging reminder of common humanity; “I am your neighbour, your are my neighbour.” This isn’t about Nick Mulvey - or, for that matter any musician - preaching or talking down to the listener, but it’s a duty to report the facts, perhaps in a way we hadn’t heard before. Instrumentally, it has everything we’d expect from a Mulvey record, especially considering newer material form his Wake Up Now LP, such as ‘Unconditional’. There’s cross-cultural textures, whether that be Africana rhythms, Latin guitars or location-less electronics, including a repeated car horn beep. It’s odd to think that something which translates information of such great crisis could also be an epic dance track also, but hopefully it’s the kind that can unite people in a love of music above all else. Penned alongside new band member Frederico Bruno, Mulvey explains why they felt the need to write ‘Myela’ - “Having been deeply touched by the crisis I wanted to write about it, and did so in partnership with Federico. We felt unworthy to write poetry about this subject. Exploring first-hand accounts of refugee journeys, we wanted to give them voice. To share with people who listen to my music, to make them aware the situation continues.” - HT