Hannah Rose Platt – Fragile Creatures: A Haunting and Heroic Ode to the Silenced Stories of Women

Review By Glen Parkes

When Folk, Feminism & Myth Collide — A Spellbinding Concept Album for the Ages

Every now and then, an artist dares to craft something that doesn’t just demand your attention — it deserves it. With Fragile Creatures, Hannah Rose Platt delivers one of those rare, bold, and unflinching records. Released via Xtra Mile Recordings, this concept album is more than just a collection of songs — it’s a poetic exhumation of hidden truths and unspoken pain, wrapped in dream-pop folk textures and guided by Platt’s siren-like vocal.

Following the critical success of her previous release Deathbed Confessions, Hannah digs even deeper into the human condition, this time honing in on the overlooked, misunderstood, and often tragic relationship between women and medicine throughout history. This is storytelling of the highest calibre — rooted in academic research but blooming with visceral emotion.

Opening with the hypnotic “Ataraxia”, Platt gently ushers us into this world of whispered legends and historical injustice. Named after the Greek concept of calm in the face of chaos, the song sets a fragile but firm tone: we are entering a realm where myth and science have long been at odds — and where women’s voices have too often been stifled.

The lead single “Curious Mixtures” follows, and it’s as intoxicating as the name suggests. Platt’s voice drifts over a dreamlike woodland soundscape, guiding us through the moonlit labours of a midwife working in secret. It’s ghostly, graceful, and oddly comforting — a standout piece of atmospheric folk-pop with mystical undertones.

“Young Men Need Their Wives” sharply contrasts tradition and expectation, critiquing the patriarchal ideals that have long shaped (and restricted) women’s roles in society and medicine alike. Platt’s lyrics are razor-sharp here, presented with melancholy charm and a deceptively upbeat arrangement.

“Magdelene” takes us deeper into the dark corridors of institutional betrayal, nodding to the Magdalene Laundries and the abuses masked by moral sanctimony. It’s harrowing, but beautifully composed — a solemn reminder of how often the vulnerable were punished in the name of purity.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a spine-tingling reinterpretation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 short story. Platt gives new voice to this classic tale of repression and mental illness, turning it into a lush, slow-building track that pulses with psychological tension.

The centerpiece of the album, “La Grande Hysterie”, dives into the infamous 19th-century diagnosis that pathologized women’s emotions as disease. Combining theatrical flourishes and swirling instrumentation, it is chilling, intelligent, and boldly confrontational.

With “Rest In Persistence (An Anthem For Anne Greene)”, Platt breathes life into the real historical figure of Anne Greene — a woman who was hanged and survived, only to be exploited for medical study. This song is righteous and empowering, a feminist rallying cry wrapped in delicate acoustic strength.

“The Sick Rose” draws inspiration from William Blake’s poem, hauntingly reimagined with Platt’s signature lyricism. It feels like a modern lullaby laced with warning — another example of her ability to reframe literature into soundscapes of urgency.

“The Edinburgh Seven” celebrates the first group of female medical students in the UK, who battled systemic exclusion to pave the way for future generations. It’s a vital history lesson disguised as a defiant folk anthem — a quietly triumphant track that brims with understated pride.

“Radiant” is ethereal and intimate, one of the album’s most personal-feeling pieces. A slow dance of grief and light, it captures the spiritual resilience of women throughout centuries of misunderstanding and mistreatment.

Finally, “Epilogue – The Wandering Womb Ballet” closes the record with theatrical grandeur and surreal beauty. Drawing from the ancient and wildly incorrect belief that women’s wombs could move around the body (yes, really), it’s a poetic and poignant finale — a metaphorical reclaiming of narrative control.

Platt’s strength lies not just in her angelic vocals or precise arrangements — though both are exceptional — but in her empathy. This record listens as much as it sings. With each track, she channels the ghosts of the past into living, breathing portraits. Her ability to merge academic research with deeply emotional songwriting is nothing short of breathtaking.

Fragile Creatures is elegantly produced, with layers of delicate instrumentation supporting Platt’s intimate delivery. Echoes of Kate Bush and Joanna Newsom linger in the atmosphere, but Hannah’s voice — in both sound and message — is wholly her own.

Final Thoughts: A Haunting and Healing Masterpiece

With Fragile Creatures, Hannah Rose Platt has created a record that transcends genre. It is art, protest, and eulogy in equal measure — a reminder of how music can educate, empower, and elevate unheard stories. The album is not only a tribute to forgotten heroines, but a challenge to the systems that continue to silence women today.

Track Listing:

1. Ataraxia
2. Curious Mixtures
3. Young Men Need Their Wives
4. Magdelene
5. The Yellow Wallpaper
6. La Grande Hysterie
7. Rest In Persistence (An Anthem For Anne Greene)
8. The Sick Rose
9. The Edinburgh Seven
10. Radiant
11. Epilogue – The Wandering Womb Ballet

🏆 Jace Media Music Verdict

10/10
An extraordinary concept album — Fragile Creatures is haunting, historically rich, and emotionally unforgettable. Hannah Rose Platt has given voice to the silenced and offered a record that’s as vital as it is beautiful.