E

Description

Australian-born, Seattle-raised, and New York-based singer-songwriter and pianist Eliana Glass releases her debut record on Shelter Press. Eliana Glass’ experimental and improvised works conjure the sensual minimalism of Annette Peacock, the joyous mystery of Carla Bley, and the nostalgic intimacy of Sibylle Baier. Her reverence for the greats of left-field jazz and free improvisation is evident, but it’s always filtered through her own burgeoning and naturalistic sound. Glass’ music hinges on a tactile and mercurial sound, and on the power and versatility of her voice. Sliding upright bass and drum strokes from E tickle the ear canal and accentuate the percussion of her distinctive low voice, which blends sonic, androgynous poise with a fluttering delicacy. E also has an enigmatic electronic bent that accentuates the blurred emotions in Eliana Glass’ writing. Whether it’s background hiss, airy vocals, or kaleidoscopic synths, these subtle and tasteful ornaments often originate from specialist analogue equipment: a subterranean 1960s echo chamber, a Cooper Time Cube (the hardware equivalent of processing audio through a garden hose), and a 1940s AEA ribbon microphone.