ALELA DIANE

The fifth album from Oregon-based singer/ songwriter Alela is ripe with moment, hovering at the brink of a near-death experience during childbirth. “I dreamt your face while you were still inside” she sings on opener Albatross.

The potency of a mum-of-two singing about nurturing life on Emigre has personal and political resonance and in a song as singular as Buoyant it feels like a privilege to be afforded such intimacy. An injury to her guitar-picking hand works to her advantage – gorgeous.