About this item

“You’ve got to die and be reborn between albums,” begins Henry Wade, guitarist for The Orielles, describing the foundations of the band’s fourth studio album, Only You Left. “It comes naturally,” adds singer and bassist Esmé Hand-Halford, “it’s not something we consciously do.”

Through this process of creative renewal, the Manchester-based trio – completed by drummer Sidonie Hand-Halford – have managed to weather a pandemic, defy the fickleness of a trend-led music industry, and emerge, phoenix-like, with something familiarly Orielles, yet altogether different. Recorded in two locations – Hydra and Hamburg – over the summer of 2024, the 11 tracks of Only You Left sees the band consolidate the bold experimentation of their previous LP, Tableau (2022), with a return to the more stripped-back, song-led approach of their early origins.

“There’s nothing more trad than a three-piece,” quips Henry, in reference to the band’s decision to return to their roots as a trio. Originally from Halifax, the Orielles first came to recognition in 2018 with their debut album, the indie-rock Silver Dollar Moment, which is approaching its eighth birthday in February 2026. “These things come in like seven year cycles. So we've come in like a full circle back to a familiar place, just as different people.”

By exploring binaries and contrasts, the Orielles are finding shapes in the chaos and confusion of the world around us – it’s an undertaking that benefits from more than 15 years of close collaboration, driven by friendship and the artistic compulsion to find meaning in music.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: Esme, Sid, and Henry return after the dark majesty of Tableau, bringing an album that still explores mysterious, shadowy landscapes but lets more light in. Jangling, post-rock-inflected jams often unfold into bright, melodic pop songs, revealing a newfound warmth and clarity in their sound. The Orielles’ adventurous spirit remains intact, but there’s a sense of growth and confidence throughout, proving that the band has matured while keeping their playful, genre-blurring charm fully alive.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Three Halves
Shadow Of You Appears
Tears Are
Embers
Tiny Beads Reflecting Light

Side B
The Woodland Has Returned
All In Metal
You Are Eating A Part Of Yourself
Whenever (I May Not Feel So Close)
Wasp
To Undo The World Itself