The Charmer

Britta Persson was a discovery prompted by a Womenfolk reader some time ago. And while I quickly became familiar with her music, it’s taken me awhile to properly feature her here on the site. That is, until now.

I don’t know much about Persson’s background, however. Everything I’ve been able to research online provides either little about her life or is written in Swedish. So instead, I’ll let most of her music do the explaining, which is what I’m hoping you, the reader, will do as well.

What I do know is that the young twenty-something writes incredibly poignant, largely acoustic songs about love and its array of ups and downs. Each of her songs sprout themselves into your head and slowly bloom into something unforgettable.

Having released two different EPs of demo material (appropriately titled Demo 1 and Demo 2), Persson officially released Found At Home, her debut EP on the Startracks label. Recorded with her friend and frequent collaborator, Kristofer Ã…ström, the five songs found on this collection are fine examples of Persson’s sweet, golden voice.

If you are going to be long gone
Please wake me up when you get home
I promise to pay you attention
How was your day and how was your night?
                            –Britta Persson

Persson regularly performs in and around Stockholm and just recently opened shows for Heather Nova. Her full-length debut is expected for release early next year and regular updates can be found on her official site, including a link to her video for ‘Defrag My Heart.‘

Downloads:

I Miss
You Are The Best
I Search In Me, I Search In You
Defrag My Heart

WWW:
Britta Persson - official site

Collaborative Efforts

Somewhere in-between Sarah McLachlan’s smooth pop and Beth Orton’s penchant for the experimental lies the sounds of Beth Hirsch. However, unlike McLachlan and Orton, Hirsch has yet to find her wide audience as a solo artist, having been much more commercially successful on her collaborations with other artists.

Hirsch was ‘discovered’ in the late 90’s while living in Paris. She had released her debut EP, Minor’s Son in 1997 and it had earned her notice from Jean Benoit Dunkel and Nicolas Godin of the electronic-dream pop duo Air, who invited Hirsch to guest appear on their 1998 album, Moon Safari. With Air, Hirsch co-wrote two of the album’s tracks: ‘All I Need’ and ‘You Make It Easy.’

Still riding the wave from the major success of Moon Safari, Hirsch released her second EP, P-Town Rubies the following year. Filled with whirling, electronic percussion and abstract lyrical moments, P-Town Rubies seemed to hint at the direction Hirsch could possibly go as a solo artist.

Early Days became Hirsch’s first full-length album and was released internationally in 2000 (although it was initially released a year prior in France). Surprising to some, Early Days found Hirsch’s sound stripped of all the special audio effects. Acoustics are dominate here, allowing her finely tuned voice to become the focal point.

This is a whirlwind
Whirlwind that I’m twirling in
Twirling like the tresses of a girl
Flags of stained emotion - unfurl
                            –Beth Hirsch

Hirsch’s second album was Titles & Idols, released in late 2001. Although not as sparse as Early Days, Titles & Idols basically follows the same path musically. There is a lite-electronic presence, but ultimately, there is nothing particularly groundbreaking here; just a nice, steady album. Sweet, but not entirely memorable.

The following years have kept Hirsch busy with her music. She has collaborated with Jakatta on their 2002 album, Visions with the Air-esque sounding ‘One Fine Day’ and ‘Home Away From You,’ and has most recently contributed her song ‘Arrival’ to the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed film, Crash.

Downloads:

P-Town Rubies
Life Is Mine
You Make It Easy
One Fine Day

WWW:
Beth Hirsch - official site

This Woman’s Work: Jessi Lynn

Young, talented and full of ambition, singer-songwriter Jessi Lynn is determined to have her music heard. And based on the three albums she’s released in just five years, this girl is surely on a path of getting the attention she deserves.

With a sound that is a little bit country, a little rock and a bit of folk, Lynn’s songs range from the instantly infectious “Someday Soon” to soothing ballads like “Just Me & My Guitar.”

You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Like This marks Lynn’s latest offering and quite possibly, her best yet.

Womenfolk is proud to introduce the sixth in its This Woman’s Work series with the inclusion of Jessi Lynn.