"For the first time, we hear Roxanne's lovely, wispy voice in lucid detail, as she contemplates loss and desire over slow and stripped-back compositions. The album artwork for Poem 1. Photograph: Lyric Shen The record opens with a collection of mournful ballads which draw more on pop songwriting than Roxanne's usual amorphous style. Her yearning is tangible in the simple yet evocative lyrics, but also beyond: the tense vibrato of the strings in The Age of Innocence; the sustained keys in Keepsake."
"There are occasional traces of the experimentalism of her first two records, in the droning synths, or the faint, granular whirr of tape looming in the background. These elements, paired with Roxanne's strength as a singer, give these songs a leg-up when they risk feeling too drab or generic. Just at the right moment, the mood shifts on One Shall Sleep, and this is when the record begins to shine."
"Layering celestial synths and strings with her soft, languorous drawl, Roxanne turns a Robert Schumann lied into something so lush and epic it feels fit for a dream sequence on film. Wishful (Draft) is similarly transcendental, with its wide-eyed, Julee Cruise-style wooziness. Even when the sweeping instrumentation clears for the following track, Cover Me, the atmosphere is upheld by an affecting choral performance, which complements Roxanne's own breathy sigh and sparkling lead vocals."
"As she pleads for someone, somewhere, to cover what will never be again, a sense of closure emerges. Also out this month Foundry, the new record from DJ and composer Yu Su, is an exploration of what she calls in-between music (Short Span). Alongside coll"
Poem 1 is shaped by a transformative heartbreak experience and brings new clarity after loss. Vocals move from hazy ambient textures to lucid, front-and-centre detail, with Roxanne contemplating loss and desire over slow, stripped-back compositions. The album opens with mournful ballads that lean more toward pop songwriting than earlier amorphous styles, using simple but evocative lyrics and expressive instrumentation such as tense string vibrato and sustained keys. Occasional experimental traces appear through droning synths and faint tape-like granular noise. The mood shifts on One Shall Sleep into lush, epic arrangements, while Wishful (Draft) stays transcendental. Cover Me sustains atmosphere through choral performance and breathy lead vocals, creating a sense of closure.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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