Nolita

In these globalized days, it’s a short distance to anywhere, and New York and Paris begin to seem not so different after all. This Dutch-Israeli-Javanese-Russian vocalist, of the late-night-cabaret persuasion, gives us a suite of overheard bilingual conversational snippets, rainy-day meditations on the possibilities of escape and the equally possible lack thereof. Whether in English or French, they’re breathy, violin-laced, languid and moody—smoky melodies tenderly sprinkled with tinkling piano. Somnolent samples and brushed drums create acoustic soundscapes of longing. Whether, with hints of mandolin and violin, she’s thinking about burying you in the rain or lamenting the fact that Chelsea burns under her feet while your fame runs out, her urban, atmospheric pleas suggest that—no matter where we are—it’s late, and we hesitated too long.