THE Porta Bohemica of the title is the name of a train line that once connected Germany and Austria that seems to act as a metaphor for music.

“The metaphor of an old train line feeds something in my imagination. I related to that sense of travel when making this record because it was an epic undertaking.” And listening to the album there is a sense of undertaking a long journey, not only experiencing the subtly changing musical landscapes as they pass you by but experiencing the artist and their innermost thoughts.

Like all of the best music it is difficult to pin down in one quick sound bite, instead you find yourself using more and more words to try to describe its illusive nature. If it is pop it is because it is some accessible and melodic, if it is rock it is of a dark and atmospheric nature, it has soul as well as soulfulness; it is dreamy, sonorous and romantic but never fey or fragile. The more you listen the less easy it becomes to tie down, more mysterious, somehow less tangible.

What is obvious is its unique generic blends, its honesty, bearing of the artist's psyche though steeped in a romantic and timeless sound, dream-pop swirls coalesce into solid classical lines, late night jazz vibes are subsumed by euphoric alt-rock drives.

It might be easier to say what it is not, rather than what it is.

What it is not is mainstream, unadventurous or afraid to explore dynamic generic fusions and at a time when we seem to be losing so many original music makers from a previous golden age, it is comforting to know that there are artists as wonderful and as brave as Trixie Whitley. - Dave Franklin