The Top 25 Albums Of 2021 (So Far): Ryan Downey - 'A Ton Of Colours'

Vulnerability meets vivid joy in the hands of Melbourne singer-songwriter Ryan Downey and his second full length album A Ton of Colours which was released in May this year. Teaming up with Burke Reid on production duties for his follow up to 2018’s Running, A Ton of Colours sees Downey elevated to rhapsodic new heights, as his velvet vocals drape over an array of scurrying arrangements and visceral concepts of self-belief and strength.

Previously concocting his wares in slightly more measured and restrained territories, Downey’s spark into more vibrant sonic waters came at the end of 2018 when he was touring his debut full-length Running, finding himself enraptured by the thrill and joy of playing on stage with a band; and ultimately, found himself drawn to creating music to get him moving (a fact made even more meaningful by Downey’s juvenile arthritis diagnosis at the age of 10, and the painful reality of physical exertion as a result). And while Downey’s latest release certainly incites you to physically succumb, it’s also a journey that rocks you to your spiritual core, with a unique and lustrous dive into humanity, love and the hidden magic in the everyday lurking throughout ten tracks.

As Downey’s wavering baritone curls its way across each track, A Ton Of Colours seamlessly flits between buoyant anthems (Heart Is An Onion), swaggering imagery (Sors De Ma Tete), languished longing (Contact) and stark theatricality (Same Dream, Every Night), before ultimately drawing to a close with the ethereal bliss of Bobby. Holding up a beguiling mirror to the dizzying highs and devastating lows of love and all its trappings, Downey ultimately presents as a vivacious vocal hybrid of David Bowie, Chris Isaak and Elvis Presley, while also heavily channelling ‘70s Brit rock tropes at times.

A Ton Of Colours stands tall as a startlingly personal yet uniquely relatable offering from one of the most engaging acts in the burgeoning Aussie indie scene right now. Armed with an unholy amount of charm and old-world flair, Downey has struck a perfect balance of flashy yet pragmatic songwriting that lives up to (and conclusively exceeds) its colourful name.