Over the course of her three studio albums, Angel Olsen has assumed the position of many musical characters: the delicate folk singer; the emotive garage rocker; and the potent wordsmith. In a swift sonic change, “All Mirrors,” the lead single and title track from Olsen’s upcoming fourth album, finds her shape-shifting once again, veering her poignant life accounts in a more synthetic direction and simultaneously, enhancing the magnetism of her past work.
“Mirrors” builds around an astral synth lead, adjusting in both mood and tempo to accompany Olsen’s subdued, yet agonizing vocal performance. The swell of synthesizers and an emphatic string section give the track an aesthetic makeup that coaligns with the mystique that has always made her feel so desirable yet so distant. Her voice is singular, evocative and occasionally, even show-stopping.
Each new Angel Olsen album has presented her as a revitalized and somewhat illusive figure. Her evolution is ethereal and consistent. Musically, “All Mirrors” marks another reconfiguration, but the song’s overarching presence is one that has existed long before its time, whether we could see it or not.
All Mirrors is out October 4 via Jagjaguwar. Watch the music video for the album’s title track and lead single below.
Riffs & Rhymes 