Wilsen – “Garden”
In case you’re late on Tamsin Wilson, here is a refresher. Or here. Or here (yes, it is possible to cover Grimes well!). Originally from London, Wilson now lives in New York, where she has been making spectral, towering dream-folk for a few years. Wilson records under a slight variation of her last name, Wilsen, and has released the mini-album Sirens and the Magnolia EP so far. Wilsen’s songs careen on the edge of losing control, her wispy voice whipping up like an sudden wind, hailing a flurry of intensive emotion in demure alto.
“Gardens” is the first song off her forthcoming full-length record, which is slated for release this fall. It was produced by Ben Baptie — who’s been involved in some capacity with mixing and engineering artists like Mark Ronson, Laura Mvula, Will Butler, SBTRKT, Tom Odell, etc. — and the balance on this new track is certainly owed in part to him. The quick, finger-picked strum fades in and out of the forefront, leaving room for climactic strings, buried harmonies and a soaring electric guitar solo to inch into view. It’s hard to pay attention to all this accoutrement when Wilson is singing, though; her voice grips you like a good story, an impenetrable gaze, or an unexpected sunset. Listen below.