Jessica Pratt's Hypnagogic Folk Evolves on 'Here in the Pitch'

Jessica Pratt's latest album, "Here in the Pitch," masterfully hones her unique style of hypnagogic folk music. This fourth release, featuring nine tracks totaling less than thirty minutes, continues Pratt's tradition of elliptical lyrics and intimate vocal delivery.

For the first time on her albums, "Here in the Pitch" incorporates light drumming, synth, basslines, and distant bongos. These additions, however, do not enlarge the sound but rather create a hypnotic shift, making the music feel more intimate within a larger perceived space. Pratt employs extensive reverb, akin to innovators like Brian Wilson, allowing her voice to fill expansive sonic cathedrals within these concise songs.

The album draws comparisons to the psych-folk melancholy of Bryter Layter, infused with Brazilian rhythms and the vocal precision of artists like Judee Sill and Anita O'Day. Pratt's songwriting favors verses, with choruses gently guiding the listener back rather than offering a typical release. Her vocal timbre, often compared to a breathy saxophone, showcases reedy precision and languid technicality, making each note, like those in "Get Your Head Out," a carefully considered element of her hazy, recombinant soundworld.