Fever To The Form by Nick Mulvey (Single)

Nick Mulvey returns with ‘Fever To The Form’ and shows why he’s been one of the risings stars of 2014

t’s not long ago that Nick Mulvey was known simply as a founding member of the Mercury-nominated Portico Quartet. But three years ago, Mulvey chose to branch out as a solo artist, trading in a brand of soulful folk akin to Nick Drake covering Massive Attack. 2014 has seen those branches bear the fruit that’s seen him as one of the year’s breakthrough artists.

Having made the shortlist for the BBC Sound of 2014 shortlist, his debut album First Mind then broke into the UK Top 10. Fever To The Form is the third single to be taken from First Mind, following 2013’s Nitrous and this year’s Cucurucu.

Like the brilliant Benjamin Francis Leftwich, it’s driven by delicate fingerpicking and an airiness that sees it hang perfectly among the current summer climes. Where it differs from Leftwich is in the warmth of its spirit – you can almost feel Mulvey smiling as the words come trickling out of his mouth. There is, too, a subtle nod to world music, with the ‘found sound’ ambience of The Ruby Suns slowly brought in to give a rising quality.

Where one might grumble is the lack of divergence from the song’s central melody. So skilled a writer is Mulvey though, that he is able to use this consistency as the foundation for an elegant and soulful piece of folk that will have who quickly reaching for its long player big brother.

Verdict: Elegant and soulful folk

Damien Girling

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