Echo Scale™: 5/5 ★★★★★
Release: June 2025
Setting the Scene
Every so often, an EP comes along that does more than just fill the gap between albums it redefines a band’s entire trajectory. Dark Water EP is that release for Saint Senara. If you’ve only just tuned in, here’s the deal: Saint Senara are an award-winning two piece from Cheltenham, made up of Andrew Bate and Chloe Gorman. Their sound is a gorgeous tangle of dirty blues rock, windswept Americana, and gothic folk, all pulled together by some of the most expressive vocals you’ll hear anywhere this year.
Since their first EP, Saint Senara have never played by the genre rulebook. What sets them apart is the raw, magnetic chemistry between two musicians who understand restraint, tension, and the impact of simplicity. With only a guitar, a tambourine, and two voices, they conjure up moods and worlds that bigger bands would kill for. In 2023, they were named Gloucestershire’s Best Band and it’s easy to see why: the songwriting, the stagecraft, the feeling they’ve got it all.
Dark Water EP arrives with the momentum of acclaimed singles and a reputation for haunting live shows. This is Saint Senara at their very best, weaving heartbreak, gothic storytelling, and musical soul into a record that deserves to be called essential.
There’s A Storm Coming
The opening moments of this EP are pure atmosphere. “There’s A Storm Coming” arrives with a haunted sense of anticipation the musical equivalent of thunder in the distance. The production, handled by Lex Raymond at White Noise Studios, is a masterclass in less-is-more. The song oozes tension: you can almost hear floorboards creaking and storm clouds gathering overhead.
Andrew’s vocal is the anchor here: soulful, world-weary, and perfectly controlled. It’s the kind of voice that feels like it’s lived through a hundred storms and come back to tell the tale. Chloe’s voice, meanwhile, glides above it all haunting and ethereal, yet packed with emotional punch. This is true vocal mastery. The chemistry between them, already praised in our earlier review of “Ophelia,” is on another level here. Chloe’s voice is the lightning to Andrew’s thunder sometimes entwined, sometimes in glorious contrast, but always spellbinding.
The instrumentation is deliciously sparse but loaded with intent. There’s a pulse in the percussion and an undercurrent of menace in the guitar. The arrangement creates drama without a single wasted note. It’s little wonder that press outlets have called Saint Senara “harbingers of chaos in their Southern Gothic Blues Folk vignette,” and this song proves they’ve earned the title.
Ophelia
If the storm is chaos, “Ophelia” is the still water after. This track already stunned us on release Sam called it “poeticism at its very finest” in our earlier review, and nothing’s changed there. The guitar introduction is a lesson in how to say everything with almost nothing: just a gentle, unhurried flourish that gives Chloe all the space in the world.
Chloe’s voice here is sweet, not haunting, and the result is an aching vulnerability that will leave most listeners floored. There’s a whisper of pain woven through her delivery, a heartbreak that shimmers just beneath the surface. You can tell nothing here is forced; everything feels true, honest, and beautifully understated. It’s one of those performances that makes you forget you’re listening to a recording you’re just there, caught up in the moment.
When the song builds to its climax, and Chloe delivers the devastating refrain “she doesn’t think she’s crazy, she thinks it isn’t fair” the emotional impact is as raw as the day it was written. The guitar tone bites, reminiscent of an old valve amp pushed to the edge. And again, that magical vocal blend between Andrew and Chloe lifts the song to something timeless. This is modern folk at its absolute best.
Lost Lisa Marie
With “Lost Lisa Marie,” Saint Senara dial up the tempo and show just how versatile their sound can be. The track kicks in with an immediate pulse driven by tambourine and electric guitar, with a real sense of momentum that carries the whole thing forward. If you want proof that two people can create the energy of a full band, look no further.
Chloe’s vocals are once again in a league of their own. Here, she delivers not just melody, but story: you can hear every twist of emotion, every flicker of the song’s narrative. Her harmonies are gorgeously layered and absolutely on point, giving the song a rich, textured feel. Andrew’s playing is sharp and intuitive, with guitar and percussion weaving in and out of the spotlight.
The track is alive with rhythmic energy and dynamic shifts a true showcase for what Saint Senara can do when they let loose. There’s an infectious sense of joy beneath the bluesy edge, making “Lost Lisa Marie” a highlight not just of the EP, but of the band’s catalogue. The musicianship here is top tier, with the tambourine work especially worth a nod. This song deserves to be heard live.
Artistry, Production, and The Saint Senara Sound
The magic of Dark Water EP isn’t just in the performances it’s in the choices. Lex Raymond’s production never gets in the way, always serving the story and emotion of the songs. Each detail feels intentional: the way the vocals sit just ahead of the beat, the tension in the minimalist arrangements, the air and space between the notes. It’s a record made by people who trust each other, and that trust radiates from every track.
Across the EP, Saint Senara move seamlessly between moods and styles. There’s the gothic grandeur of the opener, the wistful heartbreak of “Ophelia,” and the pulsing, uptempo spark of “Lost Lisa Marie.” But every song feels of a piece woven together by lyrical honesty, poetic imagery, and those unmistakable harmonies.
What truly sets the EP apart, though, is the way Andrew and Chloe use their voices. Throughout Dark Water EP, the vocals are instruments in their own right: sometimes leading, sometimes supporting, sometimes clashing in beautiful tension. It’s not just about singing; it’s about storytelling, atmosphere, and connection. As we’ve said before if you want to show someone what a voice can do as an instrument, this is the record you reach for.
A Musical Triumph
Let’s be clear: Dark Water EP is a triumph from start to finish. Every track feels essential, every harmony carefully crafted, every moment a showcase for Saint Senara’s unique vision. Songwriting? Some of the best you’ll hear in the UK right now. Musicianship? Effortless. Production? Subtle, cinematic, and always in service of the songs. The EP builds on the promise of earlier releases and sets a new benchmark for what’s possible with a minimal lineup and maximum creativity.
We said when “Ophelia” dropped that it belonged on every playlist well, Dark Water EP raises the stakes. This is a record that belongs in the modern canon. It’s the result of two artists trusting each other and pushing themselves, and it’s utterly flawless.
Final Verdict
Echo Scale™: 5/5 ★★★★★
Dark Water EP is Saint Senara at their absolute peak. It’s a masterclass in vocal chemistry, songwriting depth, and the art of restraint. This EP is everything you could want from modern folk-blues and more moving, inventive, haunting, and uplifting all at once. The storm, the calm, and every beautifully haunted moment in between.
Saint Senara—take a bow. This is essential listening, and without a doubt, one of 2025’s best releases.
For fans of: When Rivers Meet, The Civil Wars, Fleetwood Mac in their midnight hour, or anyone who believes two voices can conjure entire worlds.
