Self-produced and recorded in London in between touring commitments, Khouri’s latest offering was mixed by Alan Weatherhead (Sparklehorse, Julien Baker) and is a powerful return from her acclaimed debut. If her debut ‘The Salted Air’ were an allegory for displacement, in ‘A New Dawn’ Khouri has found the shore and displays a quiet, newfound confidence. The title track, which premiered on CLASH in August, opens with droning harmonium, cascades of tremolo guitar and mermaid-like backing vocals.
‘To Sleep’ sees violinist Basia Bartz doubling Khouri’s nylon string guitar in a pizzicato set against swelling harmonium, piano and flurries of guitar delay. Penned as “a lullaby she wrote from the point of view of a younger self” in a war zone, Khouri deals with the sounds of shelling by singing herself to sleep: “Teach me / A melody / So I can hum myself to sleep”. The beautifully arranged EP highlights Khouri’s talent for creating songs that feel both vast and intimate, as her sumptuous vocal takes centre-stage with poignant lyrics set against delicate atmospheric soundscapes.
TRACK LISTING
1. A New Dawn
2. To Sleep
3. The Hours