The keen reader might recall Frances Yonge from an article we published just over a few months ago, praising the English songstress for her nuanced work on ‘No Longer Lost’, a collaborative album with fellow creative Cosminc Songbird. Today, Yonge returns with her latest offering, ‘Precious’, a blissful, ethereal piece that feels monumental and otherworldly. A fever dream that seemingly never ends, clocking up to a whopping seventeen minutes. There’s a meaningful reasoning behind such a radical choice, with Frances striving to pen a lullaby-esque composition, something that could be used to gently fall asleep.
Well, ‘Precious’ does exactly that. Awashed with crepuscular piano arpeggios, mystical-sounding vocal harmonies, and a whirlwind of luscious textures and drone-like effects, the record reaches its zenith as a deeply relaxing and introspective work, a nugget of lethargic, sleepy aural goodness that’s bound to connect even with the most apathetic of listeners out there. Of course, behind the track’s playful and mesmerising façade, there’s a great deal of artistic abstraction from Yonge’s part, once again showcasing her classical proficiency and her unmatched creative vision.
Asking friends what images came to mind as they went to sleep, Frances truly immersed herself in a sleep-powered third dimension, drawing inspiration from hypnotist Glenn Harrold’s relax and sleep well meditation, especially regarding the “go to sleep” mantra that Yonge often repeats throughout the piece. The end result is escapism in its purest shape, a listening experience that feels rather unreal, a cosmically powerful composition that sent us right into the twilight zone.
Recommended! Discover ‘Precious’ now: