7/10

When Billie Marten first emerged as a teenager with her spellbinding debut album 'Writing Of Blues And Yellows' in 2016, she found herself atop a heap of singer-songwriter types, an arena that many had already had their fill of at the time. But despite the competition, Marten stood out from the crowd with her delectable sound, and continued to push these ideals on her 2019 sophomore effort 'Feeding Seahorses By Hand'. Now 21 years old, she is beginning to mature in her aesthetic as she returns with her third LP 'Flora Fauna', a record that sees her continue her chosen path.

What has always been special about Billie Marten is the way she is able to take the most basic level of songwriting, and create something truly wondrous with it. Never one to indulge in fanfare or audacious production to grab our attention, she has this quaint and minimal approach that still manages to penetrate through at almost every turn. And while this new collection sees her experiment with a more textured and layered direction to her normally lo-fi direction, 'Flora Fauna' shows us that she still has plenty of drive and passion within her to deliver something memorable once again.

It may not have the same instant impact that her previous collections have shown, but 'Flora Fauna' still stands as a confident and proficient effort that suitably fits her progressive persona. Billie Marten has certainly come a long way since those early days, and this new collection tells us that she has plenty of road left ahead of her as well.