Singer-songwriter Aldous Harding has just announced her fourth album. Harding’s preceding folk LP ‘Designer’ was a huge hit around here, becoming one of our most popular releases by the end of 2019. ‘Warm Chris’ sees familiar faces return to the fold alongside new collaborators, as John Parish handles production duties once more, and Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson guests.
On “Tick Tock,” an early track on her new album “Warm Chris”, Aldous Harding addresses the absurdity of interpretation. “Wanted to see me, now that you see me, whatcha gonna do?” she taunts in the refrain, defying her witnesses to comprehend her. Her voice-play finds her evoking both Cat Power and Annie Lennox, sliding from the husky lament “Oh, the dirty of it” to a reedy cry of “Party people!” The new album continues Harding’s creative partnership with producer John Parish and evolves her sonic treatment of this Dadaist bent. The sparse instrumental backings of “Party” and “Designer” are elevated with a palette that draws from freak folk and baroque piano pop—it’s easy to sift out the influences of Sufjan Stevens and Kate Bush. “Warm Chris” thrives in that new flexibility, using Harding’s expanded sound to consider the implications of professional and interpersonal performance in turns across its 10 tracks.
Released on 4AD, ‘Warm Chris’ is the fourth studio album from New Zealand-based indie-folk star Aldous Harding. Just like with 2017’s ‘Party’ and 2019’s ‘Designer’, Harding continues her fruitful partnership with producer John Parish, and brings in outside collaborators in the form of jazz drummer Seb Rochford, Welsh singer-songwriter H. Hawkline and Sleaford Mods’ frontman Jason Williamson.
‘Lawn’ is the first single from Aldous Harding’s forthcoming album, ‘Warm Chris’, out 25th March 2022 on 4AD. Records.
The Fat Angel Sings 