Newcastle-based baroque-folk artist and producer James Reynold is breaking his own rules with his sophomore EP Untitled 2. After labouring over his 2018 release Goodbye Hobart, he resolved to discard his debilitating habit of perfectionism, and instead set about writing and producing one song a week for three weeks, in order to generate a more spontaneous body of work. The result is an enchanting trio of songs that are sure to delight and mesmerise.

James' confessional lyrics throughout Untitled 2 deal in the expression of love and patience, with charming delivery. Track one, ‘Mega Long Valley’, is a brief and evocative introduction to Reynold’s signature style - undulating fingerpicked guitar lines, paired with sweeping, expertly placed vocals and tastefully sparse percussive elements. ‘Open The Door’ hooks us in with its honeyed harmonies, juxtaposed by head-bobbing lead guitar and toe-tapping country drumlines.

The final track, ‘My Love, Take Your Time’, is an epic production, opening with cascades of delicate, hypnotic fingerpicking. As interwoven melodies wash over the ears, we’re transported to a sun-dappled garden under a vine canopy. Cabbage moths flitter through the vegie patch to the insistent strumming of a mandolin. A choir of heavenly voices enter the scene. We lie on the grass with our favourite pals, making daisy chains and succumb to the romantic and generous instruction - to take our time. Delicate drumming, like the gentle rocking of a hammock, underpins the sublime electric guitar solo at 2:06. A climactic crescendo of strings resolves this at once heart-wrenching and soothing composition.

The self-professed "bohemian wannabe" produced this release largely in his home studio. With instrumental arrangements of cinematic proportions, it’s no surprise that Reynold is forming a name for himself as a producer in Australia’s film and music scenes.