The Prodigal Daughter, Fertile And Watered

Eartheater was offered up by Bandcamp as 'you might like' suggestion and you know what? HIt or miss (usually miss), on this occasion they were right.

Eartheater aka Alexandra Drewchin is another artist that has been active since the late 2000s and completely under the radar for me. 

On the strength of the two singles/videos from her new album, Heavenly Body: If I'm The Bottle You’re The Message, out on 10th July, then this is one for the shopping cart.

Although there are some truly awful examples, I am a sucker for cinematic goth with sweeping strings and soaring vocals and Eartheater has the presence to match. The album was made shortly after the birth of Alexandra's daughter and this has clearly inspired and resonated throughout the songs. 

There's a production credit for Dave Sitek and a guest spot for Oklou, another belated discovery for me late last year, 

 

I'm going to start with the album and if Heavenly Body: If I'm The Bottle You’re The Message, then a delve into Eartheater's extensive back catalogue will swiftly follow. 

The album closes with 2025 single Nova, named after Alexandra's daughter and co-produced by Nosaj Thing and Michael Andrews. 

Michael has been a long-time favourite for his film soundtracks for Me And You And Everyone We Know and Donnie Darko, the latter giving him and Gary Jules a UK #1 with their cover of Mad World by Tears For Fears. It's a vibe that inhabits Nova, to great effect.

 

Where Time And Space Stand Still

Charlotte Gainsbourg chooses her collaborators well. Her second album, 5:55, was largely written by AIR, Jarvis Cocker and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon; follow ups IRM and Stage Whisper was composed with Beck; her most recent album, 2017's Rest, was created with French musician and DJ Sebastian Akchoté aka SebastiAn. Charlotte's songs also lend themselves well to remixers, with dozens of official and bootleg versions out there. This is a small selection of each.

 

Side One

1) AF607105 (Album Version) (ft. AIR) (2006)

2) Deadly Valentine (Radio Edit By SebastiAn & Danger Mouse) (2017)

3) Paradisco (Original Version) (ft. Beck) (2011)

4) IRM (Album Version) (ft. Beck) (2009)

5) Les Oxalis (Silaxo Extended Re-Edit) (2017)

Side Two

1) The Operation (Album Version) (ft. AIR) (2006)

2) Heaven Can Wait (Nosaj Thing Remix) (2009)

3) Time Of The Assassins (Matthew Dear Remix) (2010)

4) Sylvia Says (Radio Edit By SebastiAn) (2018)

5) 5:55 (Black Ghosts Remix By Simon Lord & Theo Keating) (2006)

6) The Songs That We Sing (Album Version) (ft. AIR & Neil Hannon) (2006)

Side One (22:24)

Side Two (22:18)