Never Broken by Blake Rave: Review

by admin December 20, 2025

December 20, 2025

Blake Rave steps confidently into new territory with Never Broken, a pop-leaning album born from reflection, risk, and reinvention. Recorded at WWW Studios in Ashvale, Surrey, a beautifully restored Methodist church with a calm and creative spark, the project reunites Rave with producer Dan Weeks, following their earlier collaboration on Home.

What began as acoustic songs quickly transformed as Weeks translated Rave’s folk-rooted storytelling into shimmering pop landscapes, drawing on modern pop polish and the nostalgic glow of ’80s radio staples. Influences ranging from Taylor Swift and Carly Rae Jepsen to Madonna and Depeche Mode echo through the record.

The title track, “Never Broken,” sits at the heart of the album and feels like its emotional thesis statement. It opens with hard, steady beats that immediately pull you in, while Rave’s thick, resonant voice begins to build the grounded and wounded narrative. As the verses unfold, the lyrics trace childhood innocence, abandonment, and the scars left behind, but never wallow in them. Then the chorus lifts everything into brighter air, bursting with vibrant melodies as his vocals swoon and trail, turning pain into release. He sings, “We were bruised but never broken,” recalling the weight of what he has undergone. Nevertheless, the production keeps things buoyant enough that the song feels cathartic.

As the track rolls on, subtle synths and layered harmonies widen the emotional frame, letting hope seep through the cracks, especially in the bridge where forgiveness replaces anger. The exhaling here is palpable; it’s of laying something down that’s been carried too long.

“Never Broken” ultimately captures what the album does best: pairing pop immediacy with soul-deep storytelling. It’s proof that exploration pays off, and that even when Blake Rave steps into brighter sonic territory, the heart of his songwriting remains intact, resilient, and unmistakably unbroken.