As a singer, Beth Orton has never sounded more attuned to her material, and her melodies have never felt more transportive. When she introduced herself in the ’90s, she developed a reputation for bringing a tender, human touch to the UK’s burgeoning electronic scene. Because she found sanctuary as a teenager in discos and raves, it was only natural for her to bring the same level of intensity when she collaborated with artists like William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers
More than any record Orton has made since that decade, Weather Alive her latest release and seventh solo album brings to mind these early collaborations, her gift for blending genres and their associated scenery. In the past, the menacing, downcast aura of “Forever Young” might have been a trip-hop experiment fit for dimly lit lounges and clubs. Now she embraces a seasick, live-sounding approach, characterised by the grain of her singing and the hypnotic pulse of her bandmates’ performance.
