Heather Leigh Murray, originally from West Virginia and now in Scotland, has one of the most formidable CVs in experimental music: she co-founded Volcanic Tongue, played in Jandek's first touring band, and has collaborated with everyone from Charalambides and Richard Youngs to members of Sonic Youth, Wolf Eyes, and The Dead C. On her first “proper” solo studio album, the only instruments are her powerful, dramatic voice and her heavily manipulated pedal steel. Touching thematically on trauma, desire, and cruelty—but transcending simple thematic summaries—this is stark, scary, wrenching, challenging, cathartic, beautiful music. RIYL Charalambides, recent Scott Walker or David Sylvian. Favorites: 2, 3, 6. Borderline FCC WARNING on 1, as far as I can tell.

1. (4:42)—BORDERLINE FCC(“until they piss in front of me”). Minimal, a-cappella. Ominous, discordant. Reminiscent of the quieter passages in Scott Walker's recent stuff.
2. *(7:09)—Soft, pretty and unsettling, pattering guitar. Woozy finish.
3. *(7:48)—Spastic, divebombing, blown-out harsh noise blues. This is more metal than anything most self-described metal bands could make.
4. (3:48)—A-cappella, with one vocal track only. Ascetic, beautiful, sad.
5. (7:08)—Insistent, relentlessly siren-like guitar. Harsh, confrontational.
6. *(9:15)—Tripped-out, gorgeous, hair-raisingly foreboding. Partway through, shifts down a half-step in key—chilling. Absolutely incredible.