The first, most obvious evolution from Bat For Lashes’ debut album to this lush sounds cape is evident on the opening line of the opening track. “Glass” begins with a quote from the Song Of Solomon, and Natasha Khan’s voice soars in a striking falsetto without backing music. Her vocals were sometimes a bit staid and almost boring on that first album, now they are alive and going places I didn’t expect. “I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and broadways I seek him who my soul obeys” she sings as the drums join her eerie chorus. That’s one good thing Bat For Lashes has retained from the uneven Fur & Gold, an uncanny feel for unusual percussion, often sounding like beats lifted from the ritual dances of native peoples and warped into this futuristic blend of beauty and pain.
The drums play an important role in the synth-heavy stand out (and lead single) “Daniel” which sounds like a lost track from the Labyrinth soundtrack. The synths and drums underscore another emotional and lovely vocal and brilliant viola solo. The lyrics seem like they were also lifted from ancient sources, lines like “Khia took me to the darkest place she knew and set fire to my heart” seem tribal and raw. “Two Planets” also plays with this Twilight Zone concept of the future meets the ancient.
“Pearl’s Dream” is a new-wave kind of slow dance number and the first obvious indication of the theme and characters of this concept album. Apparently Pearl is the Sasha Fierce to Natasha’s Beyonce, but I wouldn’t worry my pretty little head about this story line. It doesn’t play into the music much, just enjoy it for what it is, a blend of ancient sea shanties (most notable on “Sleep Alone” ), futuristic synths and spooky vocals and drums.
Closing the album is the best, most haunting song on this musical journey. “The Big Sleep” doesn’t explore new lyrical territory, the metaphors of curtain call as death and sleep as death have been done again and again. But an icy piano is the only background to a spiraling duet between Natasha’s lilting soprano and Scott Walker’s quavering, almost Dracula-esque tenor and the two create magic in three minutes.
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