Butterfly – Jennifer Harper (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

This is the second time this week that I have encountered the concept of repetition as a useful tool towards creativity and advancement. The first was in the context of a springboard for writing when the words don’t seem to flow easily. Now, I find it again as one of the ideas Jennifer Harper reinforces in her latest single, Butterfly, here a powerful tool for expanding consciousness. In both cases, it is found as a positive force rather than the limitation that such a circular journey might suggest.

But then, Jennifer Harper’s music is always about finding positives, even in the actions and habits that might seem the most counterintuitive to such ends. Here, it is the idea that we are all moving through the same mundane life cycles, but those cycles can, if properly navigated, lead to rebirth, hence the butterfly analogy at the heart of the song.

Such cycles or repetitions are also reflected in the sound of the song itself. Not only does Butterfly seem to spiral through the same patterns, growing in grandeur and grace with each revolution, but the recurring refrains that loop and linger throughout make it feel chant-like, spiritual, reflective, and resonant.

In Jennifer Harper’s deft hands, a song is always more than a song. And this gentle, understated, ever-evolving, piano-led piece is no exception. It is a point of embarkation for greater awareness and understanding, almost devotional but worshipping at a church of self-development, motivation and inspiration. 

I would go as far as to say that what she creates are less songs with a higher meaning and more spiritual teachings looking for a sonic form. And that is something that you don’t stumble across every day.