Out of nothing, out of nowhere. Except for a cameo on the delicate new Cass McCombs track ‘Opposite House‘ that crept out last week, Angel Olsen has been keeping a low profile.
Adorning a glittery wig, that I’m sure we’ll see again, she appeared on our screens. Laconic and bold, like some twisted pop culture public service broadcast, she cries “maybe you know that it’s been too long, going through the motions as you sing your song…“, whilst staring straight down at you through the lens. Olsen’s comeback track-come-trailer is captivating.
Her wild vocals, that retain her unique lifeblood and energy, bloom out of a sparse tundra of icy synths. Minimal but rich in soul, ‘Intern‘ is a confessional ballad of half-truths that allows your mind to race in the immediate narrative lyrics. You quite simply have no way out of her repetitive couplets that dazzle and leave you still: “Pick up the phone I swear it’s the last time, pick up the phone I swear it’s the last time…“.
Somewhere between O.M.D’s subtle building melodies and Berlin’s cinematic drama, Olsen has shed the more earthy texture of ‘Burn Your Fire for No Witness‘ for a glossier romantic drawl.
‘Intern‘ is the new single from Angel Olsen’s forthcoming album ‘My Woman‘, set for release on Jagjaguwar on 2nd September.