Midwife – “Vanessa”

Alana Wool

Midwife – “Vanessa”

Alana Wool

Madeleine Johnson makes tingly, whispery, beautiful guitar music under the name Midwife, and she’ll release her new album No Depression In Heaven next month. We’ve already posted her early singles “Killdozer” and “Rock N Roll Never Forgets,” and now she’s also shared an absolute stunner of a track called “Vanessa.”

Midwife coined the irresistible term “heaven metal” to describe her music, which is conceptually heavy but aesthetically gorgeous. You can really hear that at work on “Vanessa,” which sprawls out over nearly seven rapturous minutes and practically stops time. Over her own reverbed quilt of guitar sounds, Madeleine Johnson quietly chants to a distant lost love. (It’s actually about Johnson’s old minivan, but she had me fooled.) This one really casts a spell, and you can hear it below.

No Depression In Heaven is out 9/6 on the Flenser.

more from New Music