We interviewed David Longstreth of the Dirty Projectors back in 2013 for Tape Op issue #93. His new release, Songs of the Earth, is a return to a sound and vibe reminiscent of 2010's Mount Wittenberg Orca, a collaboration with Björk.
Songs of the Earth is a masterful work of orchestral arrangements; adventrous vocals performed by Dirty Projectors bandmates Maia Friedman, Felicia Douglass, and Olga Bell; and the Berlin-based chamber orchestra s t a r g a z e, conducted by André de Ridder. The album also features Steve Lacy, Anastasia Coope, Phil Elverum from Mount Eerie [Tape Op #32], Patrick Shiroishi, Tim Bernardes, Ayoni, and Portraits of Tracy.
In a world of thirty second TikTok song snippets and hyper-pop, Songs of the Earth is a refreshing musical offering. It blurs the lines between multiple genres and invites the listener to do just that; listen. It is adventurous, challenging, and delightful. Zero hesitation five stars.
Tape Op is a bi-monthly magazine devoted to the art of record making.
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