ListenUp
New songs by Sharon Van Etten, alt-J and a gorgeous tune by Sean Lennon, Carrie Fisher + Willow
Sharon Van Etten: The End of the World
As part of the soundtrack for “The Man In The High Castle,” comes Sharon Van Etten’s gorgeous cover version of one of the most beloved songs ever: “The End of The World.” Originally recorded in 1962 by Skeeter Davis, the heartbreaking song has been covered many, many times in the past (in Portuguese, Finnish and Cantonese; and by everybody from The Carpenters to Lana Del Rey) but Van Etten’s take doesn’t just add to the noise—rather, it’s a tender, sublime and ultimately vulnerable version that tugs at the heartstrings.
Julia Holter: Silhouette
A new live recording from London’s RAK Studios, “Silhouette” is an undeniably impressive demonstration of Julia Holter’s talents. The track hails from her forthcoming album In The Same Room, which Holter and her band recorded over two days at RAK—reworking tracks from her previous three albums with vibrance and imagination. In The Same Room releases 31 March as the first album off Domino Documents, an imprint dedicated to tracking the musical evolution of Domino artists.
Sean Lennon, Carrie Fisher + Willow Smith: Bird Song_R2
“Bird Song_R2” was written years ago by Sean Lennon and the beloved Carrie Fisher, but only after her death late last year did Lennon decide to record it. This unmixed demo version features Lennon’s tender vocals—as well as Willow (Smith) lending heart-wrenching harmonies. Lennon says on Soundcloud, “Carrie and I used to stay up ’til dawn chatting and pontificating about life. They were my best moments. Anyway… we wrote a song about staying up too late and hearing the birds sing.” It’s a minimal, yet entirely striking and exquisite tune.
alt-J: 3WW
With a meditative, lengthy instrumental lead-in, alt-J’s new single “3WW” shifts chameleon-like with each of the rotating vocalists to follow. Emotive and awash with lyrical depth, the almost five-minute-long song rises from dream sequence to tangible love story. The track hails from the band’s forthcoming album, Relaxer, out 2 June. Alt-J will be touring the US and Europe this summer.
J.Views feat. Milosh: Don’t Pull Away
Brooklyn-based songwriter, producer and musician J.Views delivers a dual-force work of exceptional beauty with “Don’t Pull Away.” The track, featuring Milosh of Rhye, warms the soul with both beauty and loss. The video, starring transgender model Indya Moore, offers both an intimate portrait and a surprising LGBTQ+ love story. While the topics may appear delicate, the art here isn’t; rather, there’s true power in all the voices represented.
ListenUp is a Cool Hunting series published every Sunday that rounds up the music we tweeted throughout the week, also found in Listen. Hear the year so far via Cool Hunting Spotify.
