Shapes Like People: Under The Rainbow

Shapes Like People, husband and wife duo, Carl and Kat Mann return with their second album, Under The Rainbow, hot on the heels of 2025’s Ticking Haze.

In some ways this could be considered the ‘real’ first Shapes Like People album, as much of the debut album was written by Carl whilst taking a break from his band The Shop Window following the release of their 2024 double album Daysdream. Those tracks on Ticking Haze initially being sketches for someone else until he drafted Kat in to provide some guide vocals. Following the experience of those sessions and the reception the debut received it was only natural that there would be a follow up. Keeping in with Carl’s high work rate we haven’t had to wait too long, Under The Rainbow arriving just 13 months later than its predecessor.

Having had the fortune to listen over the last couple of months the thing I first noticed was how more balanced the collaboration feels, shaped by contrasting creative instincts but united by emotional honesty. From the outset, Carl positions the opening Spiral Back in Time as a cornerstone, describing it as one of three tracks that ‘triangulate the album… and hold it all together on its journey.’ Rather than opting for an obvious opener, he leans into something more reflective, exploring, ‘the tangle the human race seems to have got itself into.’ Kat admits there was some initial hesitation as she thought ‘it was a little depressing,’ however quickly gave way, now admitting it’s ‘a dream to sing.’

That push-and-pull dynamic runs throughout the album. The title track Under The Rainbow, is the one which perhaps underlines the duos ability to work together so easily. The song reportedly coming together really quickly, the initial demo not being that far from the finished version, ‘It was very much a case of, we love how it sounds already so why change it.’ The plan had initially been for Kat to replacing Carl’s lower vocal, but she preferred keeping them. ‘Her octave on the verse and harmony vocal on the chorus were the icing on the cake’ he explains

A number of the album’s strongest moments come from their emotional weight. Lately stands out as a deeply personal piece for Carl, who calls it ‘one of the most rewarding listens… even though it’s about those dips in mood… it’s therapeutic.’ Kat’s perspective adds another layer, her excitement at being asked to contribute to the album over all reveals how closely their creative partnership is tied to their personal relationship. That intimacy becomes most explicit on Daisy, one of the album’s most devastating tracks. Carl recalls reading the lyrics with ‘tears streaming down my face,’ while Kat explains it was written in response to a miscarriage: ‘the worst day of our lives… the perfect opportunity to remember and say farewell.’ It’s a rare moment where the album transcends storytelling and becomes an act of closure.

There are lighter moments which provide contrast. Supergirl for exampl is a reinterpretation of the 1969 song Superman by the Texan band The Clique, possibly most famously covered by REM. It began as a joke ‘over a Friday night pint,’ evolving into a technically challenging and ‘hard sell’ for Kat, while My Paradise and Rhythm lean into affection, with Kat joking that Carl is ‘a lucky guy – TWO freakin’ songs!’ adding ‘it’s probably a good thing I wasn’t left with the whole album or listeners may end up feeling a little queasy!’

For me the album’s emotional core lies in Find Me There, a song about Carl’s creative headspace. His reaction to Kat’s vocal—’tears running down my face… it felt so beautiful and pure’—captures the essence of their collaboration: deeply personal, occasionally overwhelming, and rooted in mutual respect.

Chatting to Carl, a recurring thread throughout is his tendency to revisit and reshape older ideas. Both Life of Time, my personal favourite, and the closing Be OK are resurrected from earlier work, with the latter transformed into a stripped-back, piano-led closer. Kat says that Be OK her ‘absolute favourite track,’ particularly how it ‘beautifully creeps up on you.’ Of the track the frontman explains, ‘The first time Kat sang it, everything just fell into place and the song took on a new life of its own and just blossomed. With its vibe and lyrics, it instantly felt like the closing track for the album.’

In the end, the record thrives on it’s duality. Carl brings a clear sonic vision, often hearing ‘everything’ before it’s complete, while Kat admits she needs time to grow into each track. Yet it’s precisely this contrast that gives the album its richness—songs that may begin with uncertainty but, as Kat’s journey with several tracks shows, often become impossible to let go of. Under The Rainbow is an album which, over the forty minutes, takes you on a journey. It’s easy to get lost in the hooks, melodies and the dreamy vocals and will have you listening on repeat time and time again.

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All words by Iain Key. See his author profile here or find him via his LinkTree