Angel Olsen: Phases 12″

Description

How do you best describeAngel Olsen? From the lo-fi, sparse folk-melancholy of her 2010 EP,Strange Cacti, to the electrified, polished rock ‘n’ roll bursting from 2016’s beloved and acclaimedMy Woman, Olsen has refused to succumb to a single genre, expectation, or vision. Impossible to pin down, Olsen navigates the world with her remarkable, symphonic voice and a propensity for narrative, her music growing into whatever shape best fits to tell the story.

Phasesis a collection of Olsen’s work culled from the past several years, including a number of never-before-released tracks. “Fly On Your Wall,” previously contributed to the Bandcamp-only, anti-Trump fundraiserOur First 100 Days, opensPhases, before seamlessly slipping into “Special,” a brand new song from theMy Womanrecording sessions. Both “How Many Disasters” and “Sans” are first-time listens: home-recorded demos that have never been released, leaning heavily on Olsen’s arresting croon and lonesome guitar.

The B-sides compilation is both a testament to Olsen’s enormous musical range and a tidy compilation of tracks that have previously been elusive in one way or another. Balancing tenacity and tenderness,Phasesacts as a deep-dive for longtime fans, as well as a fitting introduction to Olsen’s sprawling sonics for the uninitiated.