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ok so i have never listened to joanna before, but she was described to me by chris as “like bjork and kate bush together” so i’m very excited
we will be listening to her four studio albums and will not be listening to her EP’s. none of her music is on spotify, but i’ve found them on sound cloud!
Album 1: The Milk Eyed Mender
Bridges and Balloons: ok WOW what a voice omg, chris described it perfectly, she even has the bjork-esque approach to word structure, these lyrics are stunning omggg, THE HARPPPPPPPPP 
Sprout and the Bean: ugh harp waltzes always get me, her playing is also pretty incredible, trust me playing harp and singing is nearly impossible, there’s something so comforting about her voice + the way she’s structured the melodies around the harp. love this song. i feel warm
the way she’s layered her voices over each other and they sound TOTALLY DIFFERENT shes two songs in and i’m already obsessed with her
THE BOOK OF RIGHT-ON: GIRLLLLLLL. this is giving me very “When I’m Sixty Four” vibes, except 20000 times better. this harp line is broken chords, but it feels COLOSSAL. her voice is sending chills up my spine
THE BASS AT THE END AJDKAKDJD
sadie: um very atonal but still very defintely fixed around some kind of melodic point. “gnawing on the telephone” GENIUS LYRIC
it’s really quickly moved into somewhere a lot more melodic ok good i didn’t really like this at first but now i’ve settled
inflammatory writ: i love this woman’s use of single simple and compound meter but i’d love something else. this is a cute song tho
this side of the blue: YUP YUP YUP YUP this is such a stunning song wow, the name svetlana really is an effective opening to this song and i don’t know why 
its so beautiful BUT STILL IN 3/4
its so beautiful BUT STILL IN 3/4
soundcloud ads are even more disjointing while listening to this music
“en gallop”: FINALLY 4/4 YESS now i cant complain. this is a really gorgeous song. very tender... we love. also very eastern scalic influences. i’m well fed
cassiopeia: new fav song on this album. vocal line is stunning, melody is stunning, harp accompaniment is also gorgeous. her glissandi are so well measured, obsessed with this one.
peach, pear, plum: NOW WAIT A DAMN MINUTE where is that harpsichord coming from, i love it so much actually??? it’s far too loud though, this is a brilliant song. very bush
more vocal layering and manipulation. this bitch is SICKENING
swansea: this is giving me sad day on the beach :((( literally crying rn. this is so stunning
it’s just dawned on me that this song sounds like something that would be perfect in Coraline omgggg
clam,crab,cockle,cowrie: this is really really gorgeous too, the lyricism here is immaculate wowowowowowowowowowow. again her lyrics are reminiscent of bush for SURE. one that’s getting added to the playlist
THE MILK EYED MENDER [final thoughts]: well it’s been one hour, and i’m already obsessed with her and everything about her... what a stunningly unique voice and such a gift for both the harp and her voice. STAN
Album 2: Ys
emily: ALREADY SOUNDS SO DIFFERENT, this track is twelve minutes long, i’m making a coffee, DID I HEAR STRINGS SJDJSJDJSJSJAJAJAJSJSAJAJAJAKSKKS YES. fuckin hell this is stunning
this feels like a trip... so beautiful
feels like the overture to some kind of blizzare musical
MONKEY AND BEAR: WHATTTTTT??????????? THIS IS SO GOOD! SO BROADWAY AND THEATRE
sawdust & diamonds: the arpeggios in this are so beautiful and are such a beautiful backdrop for the vocals... yeah a serve through and through
only skin: i cant get over how stunning the strings are with the harp and her voice. this album is golden. AND THE WINDS. this song is a really amazing example of how she uses instruments to her benefit to accentuate her voice
cosmia: oh my god... this SCREAMS björk... sparse harp and her stunning voice. ah here this is just immaculate
YS [final thoughts]: this is such a stunningly theatrical album. i love everything about it, especially the branching into new instrumental families. it works really well with this album. NEXT
Album 3: Have One On Me
Easy: DISSONANCE AH. a lot more sparse immediately, which i like. it feels a lot more intimate compared to Ys, which, depending on how the rest of the album is presented, will benefit it or it won’t
this piano countermelody is stunning. joanna has definitely branched out into a more orchestral sound. DRUM KITTTTTTT!!!! where is the harp???
THIS DRUM!!!! i’m obsessed. this song is hauntingly languishing, in a very bayou kinda way
Have One On Me: title track!!! again, very typical introspective joanna, and christ how gorgeous it is to hear the harp. in the two days that i’ve left between listening to this album and Ys, i’ve been watching videos of her play, and she’s got such a mastery of this instrument
it strikes me as a pre-beyonce lemonade track. and it’s stunning. chromatic scales just PROPEL this track forward and the arpeggios in the harp and guitar are so complimentary of each other
i could listen to her forever 
81: WHAT IS DIS HUNNY!!!!!!!! i love this a lot. and the way she changes her register in every cadence. love it. again the harp is just so pretty. it’s a lot more active here, which i really like. it’s less of a background and more of an independent experience.
Good Intentions Paving Company: oh my god!!!??? this is fucking incredible!!! I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT OMGGGGGGGGGGGGG. a complete wall of beautiful sound so sudden. and yet it makes so much sense???? CANT GET IVER THIS AHDJSJDJAJDKSKDKALSL
no provenance: defo not my favourite on the album... but still really beautiful!! also kinda hard to follow good intentions... the track feels a bit disjointed, but still really gorgeous
Baby Birch: MY HEART this one is so fucking beautiful. so clearly filled with emotion and it’s just so evident throughout it all. i have goosebumps
this one is so fucking beautiful. so clearly filled with emotion and it’s just so evident throughout it all. i have goosebumps
On A Good Day: YUP. a nice little short track but still so very effective. this is one of the more bush-esque tracks on the album. love it
You And Me, Bess: this is a complete and utter serve. i love this so much. it’s so orleanean it hurts. and it’s so effective. even the harp sounds like a honky tonk! little details
In California: so damn haunting... and that bass *chef kiss*. such a relaxing and beautiful track
Jackrabbits: MODAL MODAL MODAL. this is another nice track, but it’s starting to sound a little bit samey???? i want to hear something really new now
Go Long: Definitely a lot more emotive, and a lot sadder. it feels barer and is actually very complimentary. i love the instrumentation in the back
Occident:
soft as chalk: definitely a lot more gritty. but... i miss the harp :((((
yes come through percussion!
esme: the first note of this sounded and i got chills. i love this, and have all the time in the world for it. IT JUST SOUNDS SAMEY
autumn: much prefer this to a lot of the tracks on this album. it feels a lot more direction orientated. which is rewarding as a listener. her voice is also so stunning in this
ribbon bows: not a favourite. it feels very disjointed from the rest of the work. i like the lyrical content though
kingfisher: hated it until about 4 minutes in. then melodically its starts getting more interesting. and now it’s grown on me so much.
does not suffice: I LIKE THIS!!! it’s a nice ending to this album.
HAVE ONE ON ME [Final Thoughts]: an album that starts really really strong and then dwindles and becomes a mish mash of songs that you cant really discern from one another. disappointing but probably just in the context of such an amazing album like Ys
