ALDOUS HARDING
Warm Chris (4AD)
The profile of Aldous Harding, a New Zealander latterly based in south Wales, expanded significantly on her well-received third LP Designer; Her latest, Warm Chris is the product of a stint with busy producer John Parish in Monmouth’s Rockfield Studios. Opener Ennui has a touch of Gorky’s about its stabbing keyboard riff, sax and shuffling drums, while the shoe-shuffling tropicalia-tinged Tick Tock brings the sweet chorus, “Now that you see me, what you gonna do / Wanted to see me, what you gonna do… tick tock”.
Single Lawn is a highpoint, taking the Brazilian influences further and proving Harding can write pop when it takes her whim, while the title track is a stripped-back, fingerpicked number with bursts of clanging electric guitar. Passion Babe hits the spot, with Aldous playing with her voice to a Belle and Sebastianish piano riff, and Staring At The Henry Moore is another nicely sculpted groove.
words CHRIS SEAL
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