On October 5, Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief will follow up her band’s quietly stunning second album Capacity with a solo LP entitled abysskiss, out October 5. We’ve already heard first single “Cradle,” and today she releases “Symbol,” which also builds on Lenker’s distinct voice and layers of Nick Drake-ish fingerpicked guitar.
“Symbol” is a case study in how to subtly experiment with a tried-and-true formula like the stripped-down acoustic song. At first blush, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about it, but close listening reveals details that bring it into stranger territory: a quiet electronic rhythm whirring away below the chords, Lenker’s voice suddenly harmonizing with itself in the bridge, the arrival of a second guitar and surreal unspooling of chopped-up vocal samples as the song comes to a close.
Lenker has also announced solo tour dates to perform material from abysskiss, starting in January. (Big Thief are touring currently as well.) Hear “Cradle” below and see the dates after that.
Adrianne Lenker 2019 tour dates
01/15 – London, UK @ Union Chapel
01/16 – Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory
01/17 – Manchester, UK @ YES
01/19 – Ghent, BE @ Charlatan
01/20 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
01/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Tolhuistuin
01/23 – Berlin, DE @ Baumhausbar
02/04 – Los Angeles, CA @ Pico Union Project
02/05 – Santa Barbara, CA @ SOhO
02/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall
02/09 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
02/10 – Portland, OR @ The Old Church
02/14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
02/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
02/16 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
02/18 – Toronto, ON @ Longboat Hall
02/20 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
02/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
