Formerly known as The Rubicon, duo Beyond The Rubicon kick off a three song EP, ‘Awakening 1’, the first of a trilogy of EPs, with more to come in August and October. Combining a bold blend of pop, Americana, and rock, ‘Awakening 1’ is a statement of resilience, brimful with infectious melodies and raw emotion.
Comprising Paul Griggs of the UK, and Paul Mahieu of The Netherlands, Beyond The Rubicon recorded their tracks at 6Db Studios, in York, with Dave Boothroyd at the production and mixing helm, with mastering by Sam Proctor, and drumming by John Montague.
‘Awakening 1’ opens with ‘Backfire’, a catchy track, with powerful lyrics that call out someone on their deceptive behaviour, invoking Karma, telling them that their deeds will backfire on them. Raw and empowering, with clear emphatic vocals, accompanied by expressive instrumentals, it is sung from the point of view of someone who’s had enough and is making it their life goal to come out the other side the stronger person.
Track 2, ‘A World Like This’, is a somewhat more subdued, more folky piece than the opener. Its melodies are uplifting, with the lyrics expressing the joy of just enjoying the day and what comes with it.
Bringing the EP to an end, ‘Lonely Days Lonely Nights’ takes a more serious turn, examining the impact of suicide on those left behind, and how much it weighs on the emotions, recalling conversations, and trying to work out where it all went wrong, but realising that it wasn’t your fault. There’s an incredible sadness in the song, the lush harmonies supported by acoustic guitars.
The two Pauls first met at a party back in 2023, and shared their deep love of music with each other. We wrote about their previous album last year, and you can read our review here.
‘Awakening 1’ is out now, and is available to stream and download here. Find out more about Beyond The Rubicon and their music online on Instagram, Spotify, andApple Music.