Half Waif | See You At The Maypole Review
by Bea Willis
In See You at the Maypole, Nandi Rose, known as Half Waif, offers her most raw and poignant work yet. Born out of profound grief and personal transformation, the album invites listeners to join in a communal reflection on life, loss, and resilience. The seventeen-track album is the sixth in her catalog. The songwriting represents a journey through sorrow, motherhood, and a search for light amid darkness.
The process began in the serene Catskills in 2021 when Rose envisioned an album shaped by the anticipation of motherhood. However, when her pregnancy ended in miscarriage, those songs evolved into something far more complex—a meditation on grief and healing. As Rose faced this personal loss, her songwriting became a lifeline. The result is an album that captures the tension between hope and despair, joy and anguish, while ultimately embracing the chaos of life’s unpredictability.
At the heart of See You at the Maypole lies the thematic thread of acceptance—embracing both light and shadow. In the opener, “Fog Winter Balsam Jade,” a haunting choir leads a collective wail, setting the tone for the album’s exploration of shared grief. Rose invites us into intimate moments of reflection—cutting apples in the kitchen, observing the gentle flight of a bird—all rendered in stark relief against the backdrop of her loss. In these moments, the beauty of the ordinary becomes imbued with new meaning.
Throughout the album, Rose works closely with longtime collaborator Zubin Hensler, who co-produces and contributes to the lush, textured soundscape. The duo sought to break away from the careful precision of earlier works like Mythopoetics, instead favoring live takes, raw vocals, and even distorted phone recordings. The resulting imperfections feel deliberate, mirroring the unpredictability and messiness of grief. The album feels like an unraveling—a cathartic, therapeutic process.
“Figurine,” the album’s lead single, is a standout track and a testament to Rose’s ability to capture the immobility of pain while hinting at growth and change. With lines like “I love you when it’s snowing, I love you when it’s warm,” Rose paints a picture of enduring love through shifting seasons, echoing the cyclical nature of grief. The song is a balm, offering the tender reassurance that even after profound loss, the seasons will continue, and so must we.
Musically, See You at the Maypole thrives on dynamic contrasts. Tracks like “Heartwood” soar with cinematic string arrangements, while others, like “I-90,” are pared down to their emotional core. Each song feels like a chapter in a novel, chronicling Rose’s gradual return to life after loss. There’s a persistent sense of forward motion—”Head up, it’s gonna get so much better you’ll see,” she sings on “Figurine,” a mantra to herself as much as her listeners.
The album’s production further elevates its emotional weight. Recorded across various locations, including Imogen Heap’s The Hideaway studio in England, these spaces lend an ethereal quality to the music, grounding its emotionality in tactile, lived experience. Rose’s vocals are sometimes spectral, hovering above the instrumentation like a ghostly presence. Yet, there’s also a profound sense of connection—particularly on tracks where the New York City-based choir Khorikos appears on various tracks, as on “Ephemeral Being,” where percussive swells propel the music toward a climactic resolution.
One of the album’s most moving moments comes with “The Museum,” where Rose wrestles with the idea of bringing new life into an uncertain world. The song’s delicate arrangements underscore the vulnerability of parenthood, as Rose’s ghostly vocals contemplate the burden of responsibility and the insecurity that comes with raising a child amid crumbling societal structures. The strings rise and fall like the ebb of time, offering no easy answers, only a sustained contemplation.
If See You at the Maypole sounds like a somber work, that’s only part of the story. Rose does not wallow in despair; instead, she finds a way to transmute her pain into something beautiful and communal. Like a maypole dance—an ancient ritual celebrating life, fertility, and the return of spring—the album weaves together the threads of personal experience and shared humanity. “We are so much stronger for the colorful experiences we go through,” Rose declares, and indeed, the album feels like an offering to the listener, inviting them to join in the dance of life, no matter how tangled and unruly the ribbons may become.
In the album’s closing moments, with tracks like “Mother Tongue” and “March Grass,” Rose finds her voice again, not just as an artist, but as a mother, a daughter, and a member of the human community. It’s a fitting conclusion to an album that began in isolation but blossoms into a collective ritual of remembrance and rebirth.
See You at the Maypole is an album of emotional complexity and resilience, offering solace to anyone navigating their own winter. It reminds us that grief, like the changing seasons, is both personal and universal. It’s an album that finds beauty in the darkest corners and invites us to dance in the light, no matter how fleeting.
Artist: Half Waif
Album: See You At The Maypole
Label: ANTI- Records Publicity
Release Date: October 4, 2024
About the author
Bea Willis
With an unwavering passion for music that began at the tender age of five, I embarked on a journey of self-expression through the piano, later expanding my repertoire to the guitar and the art of singing. As a seasoned performer in cozy coffee shops and harmonious choir ensembles, I've immersed myself in the diverse tapestry of musical genres, seeking to uncover the intricate qualities that strike a chord within our souls.
Beyond my personal experiences, my journalistic pursuits have led me to explore the stories and inspirations behind the melodies we hold dear. As a music journalist, I aim to delve into the heart of each composition, shedding light on the creative minds that have shaped the soundscape of our lives.
In my downtime, you can find me serenading my loyal canine companion with heartfelt tunes on the guitar or indulging in retail therapy to enhance my ever-growing wardrobe. Songwriting holds a special place in my heart, and I yearn for the day when I can share my creative talents with the world. Until then, my passion for uncovering the emotional power within music continues to drive my insightful reviews and analyses, as I journey through the rich landscape of melodies that move us.
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