HEAR THIS: Gordi

September 01. 2017 | By Mayumi Okamoto

Sophie Payten – who goes by the moniker Gordi –quietly astounds with her brand of folktronica so much so that her lovely sound caught the ear of Justin Vernon and Sean Carey, who would eventually become her label-mates on Jagjaguwar. Gordi’s debut album Reservoir is indeed a deep pool of mystical beauty; a source of something organic and powerful that swells with emotion as quickly as it recedes and leaves you raw and exposed.

The percussion-less “Myriad” is an intimate look into the difficulty of breaking out of old habits, Payten’s vocals are ever-so-slightly auto-tuned to a gauzy layered haze. These quiet moments are juxtaposed with bold statements throughout the album and even within songs (“All the Light We Cannot See”) as Gordi brings your emotions to the precipice, pulls them back, and launches them into the unknown with big soundscapes (“On My Side” and “Can We Work It Out” are stellar examples). Fans of Bon Iver’s 22, A Million, Florence + The Machine, and Lykke Li will find yet another musical companion in Gordi’s Reservoir. Her album is available for purchase here.

  • The Owl Mag | The Best Indie Music News, Album Reviews, and Free MP3s