Primarily known as a bassist for groups like Grammy-nominated band Alvvays and Seattle surfers La Luz, Abbey Blackwell (Seattle) is focusing her energies on writing for solo guitar and voice.
Her songwriting calls back to the lyrical, hanging melodies of Sibylle Baier and Linda Perhacs, with angular, geometric chord progressions that lean in satisfying directions. Rendered through a self-assured and distinctive musical vocabulary, her songs offer an inspired and idiosyncratic take on personal songwriting, with insights into the central pressure points of human experience that run deeper than transparently confessional. Blackwell’s latest solo LP, Dream a Day, is set to arrive on April 7.
“Rise and Set” is our first preview of Dream a Day, and a stunning introduction to the nuanced poetry that goes into everything Blackwell attaches her name to. The lead single from the artist’s upcoming LP strikes a balance between confessional folk and experimental lo-fi rock, allowing her music to land somewhere between soft intimacy and otherworldly atmospheres. “Rise and Set” does exactly that, as the acoustic arrangement ebbs and flows with the ethereal vocal performance and the vivid emotions they wrestle with. Despite the ambient nature of this performance, “Rise and Set” has some uplifting undertones. Lyrically, Blackwell finds the silver lining in a shift in love, appreciating the things that remain rather than long for what is no longer. With her new album coming right around the corner, Blackwell sets the tone for her latest with an incredibly moving single.
