Ys

Joanna Newsome - Ys
Wow, this album is incredible. First off, though it is a relatively long project at 56 minutes, it feels so much shorter as it manages to grab you with such strong grip it practically violates you. It feels so intimate and serene, painting beautiful, breath-taking imagery with just a harp and Joanna's incredible voice; never before has such minimalistic instrumentation felt so intricate and wholesome. Joanna sounds a bit like Bjork to me at many points during the album, yet it still feels so wholly unique, like a painting painted with crushed moss or something. The first track, and arguably the best, is a nostalgic, beautiful love letter to her sister Emily which pairs violins and harps for moments of such grandiosity which transition so fluently into sheer beauty. Her ability to keep such form for such long songs is amazing; it takes a great artist to be able keep it held for that long. The way she uses metaphor to create such vivid and meaningful images, especially in monkey & Bear, creates such serenity it feels like you accidentally fell face first into a painting. How she does, I will never know, but for now I can just sit down and enjoy it.

Fav Tracks: Monkey & Bear, Emily, Only Skin, Cosmia, Sawdust & Diamonds

Least Fav Track: fuck off

9.3/10