An exquisite blend of ethereal guitar sounds and tender, mellifluous vocals, multi-instrumentalist Andy Schiaffino aka body / negative has shared their latest single ‘persimmon’. Lifted from their upcoming album, Everett, which is set for release on 8th December via Track Number Records, it’s a shimmering piece of ambient shoegaze that briefly pacifies the ache of long-lingering grief.
Mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott, body / negative’s third record is a poetic rumination on love and loss and how they deeply affect our interactions with the world. Dedicated to Schiaffino’s late mother and father, Everett features contributions from Randall Taylor aka Amulets and Madeline Johnston aka Midwife, whose studio Schiaffino was initially supposed to occupy as a residency and record in. Schiaffino’s plans changed imminently when their father was suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness, and as a result, most of the album was written and recorded while they looked after him in a hospice.
Underscored by a deep vulnerability and empathy, Everett is a remarkable effort from an artist in acute pain. By recording through a hand-held tape recorder and filtering their vocals through a landline-style microphone, they give the record a familiar, yet far-off feeling of transience and disconnected communication. Tracing over their grief with meticulous care and tranquility, body / negative lulls listeners into a state of bittersweet calm across each of Everett‘s eight tracks.
Like the orange flesh of the fruit it’s named after, ‘persimmon’ is a glowing example of body / negative’s ability to transform painful memories into sublime, ambient sounds.
Listen to the track below.
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Photo Credit: Audrey Kemp
