Aldous Harding – Horizon

New Zealander Aldous Harding – real name Hannah Harding – is taking her first steps on new label 4AD in a very bold fashion. Her new single ‘Horizon’ has no drums, no guitars, no synths, no beats, no bass. Instead, she’s stripped everything back to three piano chords, a couple of deep string tones, her own voice and some dramatic harmonies. And the effect is truly haunting.

Listening to the track is a bit like staring off into the distance and contemplating life itself. When she chants “here is your princess / here is your horizon” on the chorus, she leaves it up to the listener to decide what she might be talking about. Is it a choice? Or are they one and the same? She never makes it clear, making ‘Horizon’ something of an existential puzzle for the individual to figure out. It’s a courageous move to break forth with such a stark and challenging single, but with it Aldous Harding has emerged as a bold alt-folk figure.