It’s sometimes a good sign when a new artist goes quiet. In the case of Lorely Rodriguez, who last released an EP in 2013 as Empress Of.
Her music then was gauzy and interesting: synth-driven, alternative with some pop nods. last year’s ‘Realize You’ suggested transition, For her new track ‘Water Water’, self-written and produced by Rodriguez from her forthcoming debut album for Terrible Records / XL, moves thing into a hyper-real place: sounding a bit like Holly Herndon in production terms but with a direct pop clarity.
The song was inspired by her time at a writing retreat in Mexico where she thought about the most basic element – “Water, water is for washing / Vino Tinto is for drinking,” she sings. “All the simple silhouettes in here / Make me nervous in my insides / Take my outsides for a ride / Any shape that you can twist them into tonight.”
She’s supporting Jamie xx and Jon Hopkins and Florence & The Machine, playing a NYC 5-night residency as well as playing The Great Escape next month in Brighton.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
