On her latest single "Arm Ourselves (against Ourselves)," Swedish artist Emilia Martensson builds the jazz sound with which she has made her name on an eerie, indie-folk sound—proving she is not creatively chained to one genre.
Off of her fourth LP Loredana, which is also out today, "Arm Ourselves" still utilizes the brass instrumentals that define the jazz tracks of her past. What jumps out from this single, however, is the incorporation of finger-picked guitar strings and lilting vocals. Both make the track enticing even to non-jazz listeners. Now based in London, Martensson has a long history of critical acclaim for her jazz music. Loredana, an album displaying perspectives on the "mother-daughter" relationship, presents a new side to the singer. Tracks such as "Weariest River" depart from the jazz genre as well, focusing on the beautifully clear and controlled quality of Martensson's vocal range, limiting instrumentals to barely existent. It's encouraging to see an artist excel at their genre while successfully dappling in others, and Martensson does just that with this latest single.
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