Kevin Rumley’s debut EP, simply titled VI, is poignant and transformative. Released on April 7th this year, exactly 20 years after the fateful day when he was severely injured by an IED while in the US army on the Syrian border, this EP marks a significant milestone in Kevin’s life and recovery. As a seasoned drummer from North Carolina, known for his work with various local bands, he now steps into the spotlight with a deeply personal project that blends indie-rock, folk, and orchestral elements.

The EP consists of six tracks that encapsulate Kevin’s healing journey and triumph over adversity. The EP opens with ‘Turn The Lights’, an spacious rock number that introduces the emotionality to follow in the rest of the record. As you’ll hear, each song is a snapshot of the musician’s inner world, with lush sonic landscapes that evoke a range of feelings from loss to hope. The EP’s concluding track ‘For Clifford’ offers an expansive and contemplative end to a chapter in Kevin Rumley’s life.

As a whole, the unique sound of this EP is enriched by the gift of a mellotron from Drop of Sun’s studio owner, Adam McDaniel, adding spacious synths and tactile textures to the familiar acoustic foundation. Additionally, the EP features collaborations with local musicians like bassist Joshua Carpenter, guitarist David McCinnes, and backing vocalists Julie Odell and Ivy Eld further enhance the EP’s depth and cohesion.

Kevin Rumley’s life story, marked by survival, recovery, and a dedication to music and social work, is intricately woven into VI. His passion for music as a therapeutic tool shines through. This EP works on so many levels – as a first-hand account of overcoming impossible odds, as discovering the healing power of music, and as a reclamation of one’s own life through the hardest of times. Without question, this is a significant and inspiring debut.

“My life, at the time, was in a state of great motion and change. But, VI was my reflective space.  My attempt at making sense of life and love and loss. I partnered with many local musicians, my absolute heroes, to have these melodic “feelings” released. I don’t call them songs, so much as “feelings or emotional landscapes”. I had around 200 recordings, these are just the six that I chose to release for their cohesive energy.”

“It is my proudest achievement. I’m proud to be in recovery and to have received my Doctorate in Social Work… to have survived being blown up, homelessness and loss. But my greatest joy is releasing music. Wild! I just can’t believe it, and I’m so proud to have the opportunity.”

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