Jesca Hoop - Hunting My Dress

Sitting somewhere between the sparse acoustics of Julie Feeney and the earlier jauntier works of Fiona Apple, ‘Hunting My Dress’ is a lovingly crafted collection of off kilter singer songwriter values. The album is a perfect soundtrack to the winter season; her works on show here are, fortunately, a world away from the current spate of UK based female singer songwriters.

Instead, this second album is provides deceptively surprising and meandering compositions in equal measures. Unafraid of stepping away from more traditional singer songwriter fair (of which there are too), there’s the assured melody in opener track ‘Whispering Light’ which shimmers with a unrestrained pomposity, the subtle undertones amiably supported by some guest backing vocals by Elbow’s Guy Garvey in ‘Murder of Birds’, and the synth like pop of ‘Tulips’.

Whilst potentially off putting at first, although there are only nine tracks on the album, there’s a huge amount of variation here that showcases wonderfully the breadth and depth of talent and influences infused into Hoop’s sound. If anything, her work is reminiscent of John McCusker, more traditional folk given a contemporary edge, perfectly displayed on ‘The Kingdom’, which comes complete with the sound of birds and crickets. An ultimately warming creative piece of work.