Katrina Rees
On Friday, singer-songwriter David Mark Bulley released his brand new EP Prologue, a 12-track offering which brings his personal story to life. Whilst David has previously released three singles, we’ve been patiently waiting for a new collection of songs from the artist.
Ever the perfectionist, David has kept us waiting for quite some time, but as the saying goes, what’s good is worth waiting for and we certainly weren’t disappointed once the EP dropped. Made up of songs and interludes from the heart, Prologue allows the listener to get a better glimpse into the world of David Mark Bulley.
The EP opens with an interlude entitled ‘Prologue’. The eerie ambience combined with the haunting echoes lead nicely into the first official track on the album, ‘Where Do We Go From Here’. You may have already heard this song as it was released via a Purge-inspired visual back in March which has garnered over 100,000 views. Despite being an uptempo song, the track discusses the issue of trust and whether or not you can rely on those closest to you, which is also portrayed in the video. The foot-stomping anthem is a great opener to the album and gives an insight into the raw yet enjoyable offerings which we can enjoy throughout the rest of the EP.
The third song on the album is the dreamy ‘Kaleidoscope’. The floaty intro is gentle and hypnotic, hooking you in from the off before building towards a crescendo. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is the perfect song to relax to on a long summers day or when you’re “dreaming California”. Another interlude follows, in the form of ‘Yesterday’ which showcases elements of a powerful, dark piano ballad. We’ve had the pleasure of hearing this haunting ballad live at one of David’s shows in the past, and the interlude only teases just how emotional the song is.
Next up is ‘Black Rainbow’, which is without doubt our favourite song on the entire EP. This is a song which demands your attention from the get-go thanks to its catchy beat. However, the chorus is the ultimate highlight. We’re obsessed with the guitar instrumental in addition to the secondary vocals which give the song a mighty power. We also love the thumping instrumental around the 2.32 mark which gives us John Newman vibes. Part of our attachment to the song stems from hearing a very stripped back version during a live gig a few years ago. We loved it then, but the transition from that performance to the final studio version is remarkable, with David managing to make a brilliant song even more phenomenal.
The anthemic ‘Black Rainbow’ leads into ‘Tell Me It’s Over’, the ultimate power ballad which was the first song that David ever wrote. The track is laced with a stunning piano and string instrumental which calls for any audience to sway back and forth to it whilst holding up a light. David’s vocals are also particularly compelling on this track. In all honesty it’s hard not to lose yourself in emotion of the melody and lyrics.
“I see marks on the floor where we used to be, as these walls they just echo the truth back to me, this could be the end of us, but enough is enough.”
Anyone who’s followed David’s journey will be familiar with ‘Tell Me It’s Over’, however, he recently gave the song a different twist as he’s part-recorded a version called ‘Powiedz Mi’, in which he sings the chorus in Polish.
The ‘Mama’ interlude is next, which is another teaser of a full-length track which David has previously recorded. ‘Mama’ has been in the works for a number of years and is a beautiful tribute to David’s mum who sadly passed away five years ago. The echo effect and piano accompaniment are atmospheric, and we can’t wait to to hear a full studio version one day.
‘World Full Of Crazy’ is the eighth offering and whilst the song is written about David’s personal experiences, it is also very poignant considering recent barbaric events in the world. Lyrically, the song is emotive, although it is delivered with an uplifting melody complete with a stirring guitar solo at the end. Anyone who’s battled with their emotions and themselves will resonate with this song.
The ninth track is ‘Wonderful Life’, which is another stunning ballad. Strings are effectively used once more, creating a beautiful link between a number of the songs on the EP. ‘Wonderful Life’ also marks a visible turning point in the EP, as we see David accept that life isn’t always going to be perfect, but it can indeed be pretty wonderful. The music video for the track was released last year which supports the song’s message: there will always be highs and lows in life, but you can find the strength within yourself to not return to your lowest ebb.
‘My Heart’ is another interlude which demonstrates a change in David as a person. The short teaser shows us that he has found the ability to let his guard down around others, and this leaves us wanting more. The only complaint we have is that it finishes far too quickly, but that’s the beauty of an interlude. It gives us a taste of what we can expect from him in the future.
Originally, David’s EP consisted of 11 tracks, however, being the kind soul that he is, David decided to throw in an extra song at the last minute, making ‘A Thousand Bonfires’ the penultimate offering. Again, the track shows us that he has a great knack for writing an emotive song with a killer instrumental.
The final offering is the energetic and empowering ‘Lions’. This was released as David’s debut single and is the perfect song to round off the EP. It is uplifting, positive and encourages us a to be like a lion, strong and full of courage. Having gone through many difficult times in his life, David always comes back fighting and ‘Lions’ is the ultimate anthem to prove that he’s still standing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp9M7ymRVhQ
Prologue is a captivating collection of tracks which have been carefully woven together to tell David’s story. Each song and interlude flows perfectly from one to the other and each has a purpose within the EP. It’s also unusual for us to enjoy every song – that being said, ‘Black Rainbow’, ‘World Full Of Crazy’ and ‘Wonderful Life’ are our favourites.
Whilst we already knew that he’s an artist who wears his heart on his sleeve, Prologue truly highlights David’s ability to compose gut-wrenching ballads alongside roaring anthems. We must credit his powerful vocals as well as his impassioned lyrics, both of which allow him to stand out as an artist. There is something for every listener to resonate with, and whilst it must have been difficult for David to put together some of these songs, they’re bound to bring strength, hope and comfort to some listeners.
After being years in the making, this EP was truly worth the wait and we hope that David is proud of what he’s produced. Here at CelebMix, we’re excited for his future and believe that the only way is up for this singer-songwriter. We can’t wait to see what he does next!
Prologue is now available on iTunes and Spotify. Physical copies of Prologue are available from David’s webstore.
Be sure to take a listen to Prologue by David Mark Bulley and let us know what you think! Get in touch via Twitter @CelebMix
