Following 2022’s Limbs, another extraordinary, experimental release by the rich-voiced British singer and actress from Oldham of atmospheric, beautiful, evocative, at times vocalisations. Her voice, with a such texture and depth, is quite unique, parallel perhaps only on occasions to the tone of Nadine Shah or Anohni, and covering a wide range of emotions and ideas. She works rather magically again with producer Ross Downes, as well as collaborations with Matthew Bourne and Colin Stetson. The cinematic atmosphere of the album feels informed by her now North Yorkshire home, with visions of moors, visible from her studio window, windswept, rain-soaked and blinking through the low-lit landscape. There’s a bleak beauty throughout. The Horse, for example, is inspired by Bela Tarr’s final film, The Turin Horse, written after Forsyth contacted the film’s score composer Mihály Vig to ask for permission to ‘reimagine’ his soundtrack score, and this track captures an expression of survival and hope through the repetitive banalities of life become elevated: “The fire must keep / My father must sleep / Around this house I creep”. A Shift sees Mal Finch's protest song ‘We Are Women, We Are Strong’ , originally sung by wives and daughters in support of the 1980s miners’ strikes, recontextualised in solidarity for an experience of creative labour. Another standout, Turning, featuring saxophonist Colin Stetson, is a mesmeric whirl of repeating phrases. Opening number Answer will stop you in your tracks, as well title song, but the whole album, all the way to closer, Creature, is immersive experience into world of unusual vocal sounds, pitch shifts, words sometimes melting into indistinct vowels like rich chocolate. A fabulous, otherworldly work of great distinction. Out on 130701 / FatCat Records.
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