Emma Anderson, a renowned British songwriter and co-founder of the band Lush, is launching her first solo album titled 'Pearlies' on October 20, 2023. Her album is a collaborative work with producer James Chapman, also known as Maps, blending diverse musical styles like electronic pop, psychedelia, and folk. The lyrics touch upon themes like confronting fear, embracing autonomy, and moving forward in life.
Despite its lengthy and challenging creation process, the album shines with a mature and refined beauty, thanks to the mastering skills of Heba Kadry. The inception of 'Pearlies' traces back to the sudden end of Lush's 2016 reunion, which left Anderson with unfinished music pieces and songs originally meant for the band. Anderson then joined forces with Audrey Riley, a cellist and string arranger, and Robin Guthrie, formerly of the Cocteau Twins. Both Riley and Guthrie encouraged Anderson to perform her own compositions.
While the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily paused the project, it was in 2022 when Sonic Cathedral connected Anderson with Chapman, and 'Pearlies' truly started to take form. Their combined expertise—Anderson's unique songwriting talent and Chapman's knack for electronic production—along with some additional guitar artistry from Richard Oakes of Suede, resulted in an awe-inspiring album.
'Pearlies' tells a story, seemingly unintentional, reflecting Anderson's leap of faith into a solo career. The album opens with 'I Was Miles Away', a song that asks the question, "See if I make it on my own". The remaining tracks answer this question, featuring a variety of styles from an unexpectedly funky single 'Bend The Round', to folk-inspired tunes and film soundtrack influences, and even electronic pop with a psych twist akin to Goldfrapp or Melody's Echo Chamber.
The album's finale, 'Clusters', is a captivating Stereolab-style track with the opening line, "and now the party's over, the music's at the end". Despite this, 'Pearlies' isn't an end; it's the promising beginning of Anderson's long-anticipated solo career.
https://emmaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/pearlies
