Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Annelies's album I Sigh, I Resign continues her intimate and introspective approach, following the success of her previous LP Mares. Recorded at home in Gent over several years, the album maintains the closeness of its predecessor with its focus on keyboard and vocal nuances. While rooted in folk and early music, Annelies expands her sound with piano, organ, bass guitar, cello, synth, and drum machine, creating a contemporary yet timeless record. The album cover, featuring Annelies's sketches of female artists from the Dutch Golden Age, sets the tone for the music's exploration of power dynamics and questioning of historical narratives. Standout tracks include the rhythmic 'Salt' and the tense folk/post-rock fusion of 'Simple Fractures.' A tender moment arises with her cover of Jean Ritchie's 'One I Love,' performed with her son. I Sigh, I Resign is a poignant reflection on personal and universal themes, offering a defiant message of growth and liberation despite its title's suggestion of resignation.

Review: Annelies Monsere's Mares album takes us deep into the contemporary underground of Belgium as she serves up some fascinating and experimental new ambient and modern classical compositions. They are raw and deep and draw on plenty of the traditions of European folk. The album was written between 2016 and 2022 and is full of contrasts - adventurous new synth sounds, organic folk moods, brooding minimalism and complex harmonies. It was made using the guitar and piano and was conceived as "adding similar layers upon each other with (slightly) different hues". It's a beguiling new work littered with her own vocals which make it all the more impactful.