Bat For Lashes, aka Natasha Khan, has entered motherhood and her sixth studio album is dedicated to her daughter. ‘The Dream of Delphi’ reflects on early motherhood across ten tracks which Khan calls “song poems”. Whether it’s the devotional and unconditional love you feel for your child or the more everyday juggles of bringing up a child, this album will explore them all and become a guiding hand for Delphi, Natasha’s young daughter.
Two singles have been released already and both have a lush, orchestral and majestical warmth to them. After a few albums exploring 80s synthpop and darker B-movie horror vibes, this album sounds like Bat For Lashes is revisiting her indie pop roots. There is a heavy focus on layered vocals, a mixture of melodic synths and vibrant acoustic instruments. Both tracks have an otherworldly quality like exploring a dream in the womb. The title track features forceful strings and harp glissandos over glitchy beats and ascending synth riffs. The follow-up single ‘A Letter To My Daughter’ is a wirey mix of generative synths, piano and motherly strings embracing you into ambient sleep. It is utterly gorgeous.
This is shaping up to be my favourite release from Bat For Lashes since Two Suns and possibly her most complete-sounding work yet. Perhaps that’s because each song sounds so intimate and personal. I feel like these are both songs written for my ears only – with wisdom and comfort oozing out of every note and syllable.
Enjoy both visually stunning and artistically magical music videos below. Both songs are out now, with the album ‘The Dream of Delphi’ coming out on 31st May.