Portland, Oregon-based project Great Horned Owl crafts a beautifully affecting folk sound on “Disappear” and “Annie, I’m Leaving,” two singles from the upcoming album Longyear. The latter track features the vocals of Marissa Nadler. Led by multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Vanderson Langjahr, the project excels with songwriting that emphasizes both serene soundscapes and emotively affecting songwriting.
The album’s first single, “Disappear” consumes in its evolution from classical guitar and ethereal vocals into a more expansive sound — then featuring an array of instruments, from alto flute and vibraphone to pedal steel and a sturdy rhythm section. “Open the window / Let the light in,” the vocals move aptly as glistening instrumentation captivates between twanging and trickling lushness. The track is a lovely example of Langjahr’s riveting songwriting, and its ability to move with artful momentum.
“Annie, I’m Leaving” is another gorgeous success, particularly in its featuring of Marissa Nadler’s haunting vocals. Pedal steel accompanies the enthralling vocal duet, which laments leaving in face of one’s town “burning to the ground.” Glimpses of memories as smoke “rises into my lungs,” continues the immersive sense of foreboding, particularly as Nadler’s wordless vocals glide amidst the twanging pedal steel impact. Trickling instrumentation and continued vocal haunts persist into the sating second half. Both these gems have us thoroughly looking forward to Longyear.
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These and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
