Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Following on from 2017’s U.F.O.F

On Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, Brooklyn’s Big Thief return with their long-awaited follow up to 2019’s U.F.O.F and Two Hands. 

And this is certainly a wide ranging compilation, coming in at 20 tracks (cut down from an original 45 demos). It was recorded across four locations and over five months (including Brooklyn, The Rocky Mountains and Arizona).

Already with a firm reputation for their unique tangents on indie music, what they have crafted here is a beautifully honed musical odyssey. Constantly engaging, and sitting on the abstracted edge of folk and blues, it carves a path through light and darkness with it’s unique songwriting and adventurous production. Ever-present are the ethereal vocals of Adrianne Lenker, whose poetic lyricism is the perfect foil to the swirling instrumentation throughout.

There are distinct stylistic variations throughout – perhaps a function of the geography across which it was made. Especially, the flow of the album  is worth special mention.  Sequences of more familiarly arranged, and brighter, folk songs give way to more electronic, pained and experimentally produced pieces. Standouts include the drum-machine backed Wake me up to drive, the wildly off-kilter Time Escaping, as well as Little Things and Flower of Blood. 

By the end it is as though one has experienced a dream for several days and nights.

It’s an incredible record to listen to in full and highly recommended.

Out now on Vinyl and Digital via 4AD / Remote Control