CLEMENTINE LOVELL
Permutations
It takes a brave artist to follow up an award-winning debut with a diversion from the style that brought the accolades, but that is exactly what is happening here. Westbound fitted very much within the folk roots canon, albeit distinctively so in term of both songs and voice. Living up to its title, Permutations occupies a different space, managing to be at different times both progressive and minimalist whilst bringing electronica and experimental textures into close contact with traditional folk music and themes. To no small measure this appears to reflect the influence of and partnership with multi-instrumentalist Gergely Nagy, bringing a range of synth, guitar, bass and percussion along with assorted effects to be combined with Lovell’s piano, accordion and of course that shimmering soprano voice. Credit should also be given to Marion Fleetwood’s production for bringing the diverse elements into a sonically cohesive whole, as well as contributing her trademark strings.
Weighing in at seven tracks, the majority are interpretations of traditional works, transformed by the instrumentation and arrangements providing them with greater sonic breath than is normally the case. Black Jack Davy, perhaps the most familiar to many, if not all on here, is made distinctively her own and perfectly in keeping with the ambition behind the album. Clementine’s two originals are both highlights in their own respect, the Selkie relating to the traditional materials themes of Shapeshifting and transformation, whilst Death of an Ordinary Star, no doubt the cosmic imagery having something of a nod to her August grandfather, features both the biggest of questions and the standout vocal delivery, all the more remarkable when set against the sparse musical backing – very much La Scala rather than your average folk club.
The album is brought to a close with a cover of Dougie MacLean’s ‘Ready For the Storm’, given a different type of power rom the original by the effective mixture of acoustic and electronic embellishment.
We don’t know where Clementine will take us next after Westbound and Permutations but we look forward to finding out.
Permutations