Kaley Lane Eaton is an artist who has courted comparisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell, Björk and Kate Bush, yet there really isn’t much out there like her unconventional sound. She’s just come to my attention through the upcoming release of her latest album. An expansive blend of genres, it’s called Lookout.
By Graeme Smith
Cover art by Alexandra Allen with a photo by Michelle Smith-Lewis
A truly organic affair, Kaley has avoided electronic instrumentals for this album, instead calling on her great-great-great grandmother’s piano and trees. It’s a departure from the sort of digital soundscapes that she’s known for, but it works and Lookout proves to be an immersive collection.
It opens with Neptune and it’s an ambient and ponderous start. Gentle, long notes create a bed in which to lie before lilting vocals lure you into a dream. One of Kaley’s muses is Joanna Newsom and the influence is apparent right from the off in terms of eschewing tradition and telling stories. The result is truly captivating.
To Move The Earth suitably brings us back to our mortal plane with plucked banjo that will transport you to the American countryside. Jeffrey Pine opens with a contemplative cacophony of strings before settling into a folksy verse with plenty of vocal experimentation. It’s a highlight.
Expectation brings with it a moment of melancholy with low strings and minimal piano. Methuselah is again led by piano and slowly simmers, rich with natural and religious imagery. The End Of The Line brings with it whimsical woodwinds, harp and philosophical lyrics before title track Lookout closes the album with a final chapter that brings the themes of the album together and finishes big. It’s an intimate and final highlight.
Lookout was composed and produced by Kaley and was recorded at Jack Straw Studios, Willow Street Studios and Raisbeck Auditorium. It was engineered by Ayesha Ubayatilaka with additional engineering by Kaley, Barry Sebastian, Lily Press, and Simon Linn-Gerstein. It was mixed by Kaley with support from Trevor Spencer and Ayesha Ubayatilaka, and mastered by Rachel Field at Resonant Mastering.
The album is set for release 15 March 2024 via Strange Moon Records. You can pre-order it via Kaley’s Bandcamp page.
