Samantha Crain justifiably received much acclaim for last year’s excellent Kid Face album and will release the follow-up Under Branch & Thorn & Tree via Full Time Hobby on the 17th July.

As with previous releases, her smoky, sultry voice is a distinctive joy, set further apart from the norm with her use of jazz style vocal phrasing. The album is a sombre one with darkness tugging at its edges, but lifted by the striking arrangements that bring unexpected flashes of illumination and expansiveness to even the blackest of scenarios.

The first track from it is the exquisite Outside The Pale – have a listen below. You can pre-order the album here.

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