Music / Premieres
Premiere:
Tom Riccioni - Rainbow River
Words by Sofia Jayne
Monday 23rd November, 2020
On Tom Riccioni’s new single ‘Rainbow River’, the nomadic songwriter captures the essence and sentimentality of a travelling lifestyle, his unique rasp humming with the wisdom of his storytelling nature alongside a wistful backdrop of strings and percussions. Conducted through homely recordings, ‘Rainbow River’ is a gift to the soul.
Opening with a mystic rhythm that leads us into ardent expression of abstract lyricism, 'Rainbow River' paints a picture of a natural setting that holds an array of symbolism to uncover. A sense of melancholy is depicted, yet intertwined with an understanding of existential beauty. As with Tom’s other songs and the overall energy he brings as a person, he never fails to share a sense of optimism in the face of such melancholic hues. Tom says “the song is about a fox that wants to howl at the sun, and his journey with finding his own footing in a world alone.”

Tom spent time in 2019 travelling around Europe playing shows, and as a pilgrim he hiked the Camino Primitivo in the north of Spain. On journeys like these he would sing to those he acquainted, including the company of cows, mountain peaks and apparently unicorns. In the common rooms of hostels and the gatherings of travellers in parks Tom brought together strangers from around the globe, bringing a sense of home to those far from their own.

It was through this opportunity to play his music abroad that Tom learnt what it truly means to him to be an artist and songwriter. This newfound energy brought the release of his single ‘Sunup’ which has been played nationwide. The response to this track was pure adulation, with Nkechi Anele from Triple J’s Roots ‘n All commenting “I want you to sit in the magic of Tom’s music… so much emotion behind his lyrics.”

The composing of ‘Rainbow River’ was spent by drinking coffee, stretching and playing for bountiful hours of the day. Tom recorded this song in a Park Orchard share house that he rented over the Melbourne lockdown period. The neighbourhood held elements of nostalgia for him as it was near where he grew up, and the room itself he said sounded crisp and warm. He’d had an east coast Australian tour booked for 2020 but the year’s unexpected events enfolded him into a space of local creation. Mixed by Tom Harman and mastered by Crystal Mastering, ‘Rainbow River’ is an eminent tease at what is yet to come from Tom’s forthcoming EP A Living Home.

Follow Tom below to keep up to date ahead of the release of A Living Home