“Strangers” sees a dramatic musical shift for Marissa Nadler. Rather than the acoustic folk settings of her previous LP “July,” Nadler has expanded her musical repertoire to the point where it’s barely recognizable as folk.
The album incorporates strings, synths, drones and gentle electric guitars to create a hauntingly gorgeous gothic atmosphere. Throw in Nadler’s otherworldly, Chelsea Wolfe-esque vocals and “Strangers” becomes a record that transports listeners to new worlds.
The instrumentation flips between dense layers of music and minimalistic arrangements. Opener “Divers of the Dust” is simply a piano track, perfect for introducing the album’s mood without overwhelming the listener.
The following tracks add additional layers, especially in “Hungry Is the Ghost.” Starting with simple electric guitar chords, synths and a basic kick drum beat, the song very gradually grows with increasingly more effects until a marching drumbeat leads to an intense climax.
Nadler’s selling point has always been her vocals, and all the soundscapes in the world cannot overshadow her gorgeous voice. Each chorus is subtly infectious, with drawn-out melodies retaining just enough indifference to keep Nadler’s world separate from ours. Complemented with lyrics investigating loneliness, the entire package feels eerily distant, but it’s impossible to shake vocals from songs like “Janie in Love” out of one’s head.
The unexpected highlight comes with the bonus Black Sabbath cover “Solitude.” An already dark and ambient song from Sabbath’s raucous album “Master of Reality,” Nadler breathes new life into the track with ethereal vocals Ozzy Osbourne could never have provided. Electric guitar lines float in and out while an organ quietly supports the vocals. The cover perfectly ties together everything the album is attempting to be.
The album’s balance of unsettling and gorgeous features hits a sweet spot, making it difficult to not to come back for another listen. Grab a pair of headphones and close your eyes for this one.
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