Devon-born, London-based singer-songwriter Austel has released an extended version of her album Dead Sea.
Boasting two new tracks “Tall Order” and “Forgive & Forget”, the new extended edition also features two demos – a guitar version of “Cut Me Down” and an early demo of the track “Beds of Stone.”
The first bonus track on the extended edition, “Tall Order," is a melancholy lament about relationships, control, and the tendency to ignore gut feelings. The lyrics to stand on my own two feet / is that such a tall order drive this message home, while the gentle percussion—created by Austel using a guitar capo and other objects—enhances the song’s sense of isolation and retreat.
The second bonus track, “Forgive & Forget,” was written when Austel was 16. The song reflects on a "tumultuous relationship" and the difficulty of detaching from someone. Self-described as a “Massive Attack-inspired tune,” "Forgive & Forget" is a gentle, contemplative track featuring a warm electric piano, which deepens the sense of complicated warmth in an ailing friendship.
The first of the two demos—both recorded on a phone—is a stripped-down, indie-folk arrangement of "Cut Me Down," offering a jangly guitar-driven take on the finished album version. Austel has hinted that more in this style is yet to come
The final bonus track, a phone demo of "Beds of Stone," remains an unfinished piece, yet its inclusion in the extended edition provides a glimpse into Austel’s creative process as she tentatively plays piano and develops the lyrics.
