So hot that it gave me chills.
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8
When the beat of Laura Marling’s new track opened up with a sizzle of rhythm, I questioned whether it really would be soothing at all. Her voice manages to convey real passion without belting it out, and the heat embedded within verges on the uncomfortable. Husky on turns of phrase such as “creepy conjurer” are almost erotic as her mouth shapes the word “soothing” itself, with Marling verging on the Southern Gothic to deliver a track more reminiscent of Bobbie Gentry than any current vocalist on the music scene.
‘Soothing’ is a step away from what might be expected from Marling by those who have only heard her on occasion. She seems the type to sing sweet, gentle numbers, however these are often undercut with an edge either of danger or fear. Past tracks and interludes, particularly on her 2008 debut Alas, I Cannot Swim, move from delicate to thrumming with hot energy. Though her style has become significantly more refined since ‘Crawled Out Of The Sea,’ with the sort of impeccable production that deserves some good quality headphones, there is no doubt that same fire still burns.
‘Soothing’ is out now via More Alarming Records
