Otherworldly chamber pop, the fourth full-length from Natalie Mering’s project Weyes Blood. Mering has a diverse music background, ranging from underground noise to gospel/ madrigal choirs. (She was formerly a member of Jackie O Motherfucker and Nautical Almanac.) Everything about this album feels grand--from the celestial strings to the glittery piano riffs, and the soaring, head-in-the-clouds vocals. Intensely cinematic, but strongly rooted in the singer/songwriter genre—akin to a more psychedelic Joni Mitchell or Carol King. Fits in well with contemporaries Jenny Hval, Julia Holter, Jessica Pratt, Amen Dunes or Perfume Genius. One of my favorite releases this year. FCC Clean. Start with 2, 6, 4, 3

(1.) (4:22) Swirly synth intro leads into a gentle piano ballad. Percussion and cinematic strings join the mix (*2.) (4:40) Epic as hell. A bit of a swingy 50’s feel with sky-high steel guitar and bold vocals (*3.) (5:07) Singsongy piano ballad with smooth vocals (*4.) (4:46) Confessional ballad—starts slow and gradually gets lively— touches on themes of motivation and faith in modern society (5.) (1:36) Short ambient instrumental (*6.) (5:54) One long, gorgeous, slow-building climax – busting at the seams with layered vocals and instrumentals by the end (7.) (5:06) Slow and bold, with prominent percussion (8.) (6:09) Breathtaking suite – gentle undulating synth, floaty strings, steady piano (9.) (3:42) Lilty love song, film-outro aesthetic (10.) (1:06) Short instrumental reprise of track 1