The UK musician Joanne Robertson has worked with all your favorite mysterious art-music types: Dean Blunt, Elias Rønnenfelt, Mica Levi, and so on. For several songs on Blurrr, her new album coming this fall on AD 93, she teamed with the cellist, composer, and producer Oliver Coates, who did the score for Aftersun among other films.
Coates also worked with Radiohead on A Moon Shaped Pool, and I can hear that connection on "Gown," the lead single from Robertson's new album. The combination of his string work and her acoustic balladry reminds me a lot of "How To Disappear Completely," the pantheon-level desolation sensation from Kid A. But there's a certain ineffable grace and feeling in her vocals that sets the song apart from that comparison — like Cat Power gone slightly surreal, with more hope than despair. It's beautiful.
Listen below.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Ghost"
02 "Why Me"
03 "Friendly"
04 "Exit Vendor"
05 "Always Were"
06 "Peaceful"
07 "Gown"
08 "Doubt"
09 "Last Hay"
Blurrr is out 9/19 via AD 93. Pre-order it here.
