Paris-based Kate Stables returned to Bristol for her fourth album, with production duties undertaken by longtime PJ Harvey foil John Parish. There might be echoes of Dry-era Polly Jean on Hotter Colder (if Dry had featured wild sax solos), but for the most part this is a highly individual take on alt-folk. Musically, there’s a wealth of ideas, Parish’s minimalist arrangements allowing each instrument room to breathe and foregrounding Stables’s vocals – a wise move, as her lyrics are intriguing. Whether she’s singing about numerology or swimming off the Dorset coast, imaginative phrasing and vivid imagery abound. A fascinating album that only slowly gives up its secrets.
