Hunting My Dress (Deluxe Version)

Childhood dreams and adult visions swirl through singer/songwriter Jesca Hoop’s sophomore album Hunting My Dress. Hoop creates a fascinating lyric mythology filled with shape-shifting creatures, primal landscapes and ethereal lovers, wrapping them in folk-based melodies fleshed out by quirky avant-pop arrangements. The album’s heady sonic brew recalls the spacey theatrics of Kate Bush at times, especially on “Whispering Light” and “Feast of the Heart.” More typically, Hoop shows an affinity for traditional English and Appalachian balladry, spinning moody, slightly surreal narratives in “Tulip” and “Murder of Birds.” The rattletrap rhythms of “Four Dreams” are balanced by the subdued, impressionistic tones of “The Kingdom” and “Angel Mom.” Hunting My Dress concludes with the haunting title song, a bittersweet mixture of hallucination and desire. Hoop’s seductive vocals and nimble acoustic guitar work give the album an intimate focus. Intensely personal yet inviting, Hunting My Dress is a major advance by this emerging artist.