Jack River Announces “Stranger Heart” EP With New Single “Closer”

December 5, 2019 BY Nettwerk

Australian sensation Jack River announced the release of her new Stranger Heart EP today. Along with the news, Jack River is premiering a new music video directed by Tatjana Hamilton for the euphoric piano ballad “Closer” with the help of Billboard – who caught up with the artist about her career and her endeavors beyond the music arena – click HERE to watch the video and read the feature. The Stranger Heart EP finds Jack River exploring realness and the heart in the digital age. The seven songs featured on the EP showcase an honest and intimate side of this talented songwriter.

Closer” is the second song from Stranger Heart to be released and follows “Later Flight” which The Guardian wrote, “steps into the present, marrying bright, dance-pop production from Styalz Fuego with lyrics that espouse the giddy rush of falling in love.” For “Closer,” and the rest of the EP outside of “Later Flight,” Rankin worked with longtime collaborator Xavier Dunn on production. Dunn worked with Jack River on her 3X ARIA and APRA nominated debut LP Sugar Mountain (June 2018) as well as her recent Peking Duk collaboration “Sugar” which earned a 2019 ARIA “Best Dance Release” nomination.

“Writing this EP was a process of questioning myself: ‘Do you actually feel this? Because if you really feel it you have to write it, and you have to put it out to make yourself feel uncomfortable and true’.” – Jack River

A strong independent female artist, Jack River found this new approach to writing freeing, allowing her to gain footing in the digital age where inspiration and authenticity can be elusive. In the formative years of her career, Jack River – the character and name assumed by Holly Rankin when she steps in front of a microphone or onto a stage – had already established a clear precedent for crafting meticulous, deep and shimmering worlds to draw listeners in, inviting them to join her in exploring elements of the human condition: hope, grief, joy, fear, love. The Stranger Heart EP takes that ability one step further by taking a feelings first approach to song writing and it pays off.

In addition to being a successful musician, Jack River’s Holly Rankin is emerging as one of Australia’s youngest festival promoters. Just this year she partnered with Secret Sounds to work with her on Electric Lady – a concert series and curated stage platform she founded and built to amplify women’s voices. In 2020 Electric Lady will see her produce Australia’s largest female fronted concert and conference and expand the platform globally. She’ll also work with Secret Sounds on Grow Your Own Festival in her hometown of Forster – an event she founded that celebrates music, art, food and agriculture and will return for its fourth year in 2020.

Rankin has also been on the forefront of the climate crisis battle in Australia. On September 20th, Jack River joined the Global School Strike 4 Climate and performed at The Domain in Sydney to an estimated 80,000 people. She joined FEAT – the first artist-led renewable investment initiative that encourages the music industry to back sustainability and find ways to offset their carbon footprint – and hosted her very own “Climate Hour” – a climate panel discussion with three of Australia’s leading climate specialists and professionals – at the Sydney stop of her Sugar Mountain Ball Tour.

Jack River is poised for a breakout year in 2020 with her new Stranger Heart EP coupled with all that Rankin brings to the table as a change agent and entrepreneur. Mark your calendars for the new EP on February 14, 2020.