Former University of Saskatchewan student Allyson Reigh breaks the musical mould with her first solo release, Letters.

Reigh is a bluesy folk singer with a stunner of a voice. On this five song EP she is looking to not only show that asset off, but to display her musical diversity as well. Each song is completely different from the last, with a vast array of influences from genres and other artists.

If there’s one thing that each track does have in common it’s that they are beautifully composed and mixed into absolute pleasures for the ear. Each song feels as though a great deal of effort was put into them, with layers of instrumentation that makes each track wholly memorable.

While this is her first solo outing, Reigh has been making music for some time now, beginning with piano lessons in high school and continuing on to become a part of the Greystone singers. Once she found that music could be more than a hobby, Reigh collaborated with her good friend Mike Bauche to create the band Mike and Ally and release their album, The Field & The Sea.

Now that she is working on her own project and is the sole creative force behind her music, Reigh has stepped up the production values considerably by hiring producer Ross Nykiforuk and recording in a more formal set up at Glenross Studios. The effort is immediately noticeable and can be easily heard in the clear and lush musicianship as well as Reigh’s own crisp vocals.

Much of the inspiration for Reigh’s songwriting comes from her experience travelling, especially her time spent in Montreal as well as studying abroad in Finland and Cuba.

“I don’t want to say it’s a big city album,” Reigh said. “It’s more of a broadening my horizons album.

“Since I concentrated a recent part of my life to being in Montreal, I was able to meet and be influenced by a number of great musicians as well as ones from Saskatoon.”

Another key inspiration from her personal life are her past relationships and experiences. While she may not confront them directly, the emotional scars that have been felt through those times play a key part in Reigh’s songwriting. A lot of the songs are very personal, making the release a nerve-wracking one — but also an emotional release for Reigh.

“These are the most honest songs I’ve ever written, so I’m kind of nervous to put it out there, but also really happy,” commented Reigh.

It’s clear from listening to her past work that Reigh is not only enthusiastic about what she is creating but is developing into a strong and unique artist.

“I like to think of it as a mid 20’s album because that’s the time when I wrote it,” Reigh said. “You’re trying all these different things with all of the sounds, figuring out what you want to do — sort of a metaphor for my life.”

It’ll be a tough choice to figure what direction she’d like to go from here, as each song gives the impression that she’s an expert of her craft.

After the release party, Reigh plans to do small tours of the country, heading West in November, coming back to Saskatchewan over December and heading East for the spring. Reigh is already excited to get a feel for new venues and relishes the chance to show off her music. Any who can should get out to experience one of Saskatchewan’s great talents.

Reigh celebrates the completion of Letters with a performance and album release party Oct. 18 at Village Guitar & Amp. Tickets are available now through the event venue directly. For more information about Reigh and her upcoming tour visit facebook.com/allysonreighmusic.

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Photo: Supplied