awry by pluto bell

On awry, Bell works with minimal, repetitive frameworks to make songs that feel expansive yet highly structured. Their approach to song nods to fellow reductionist songwriters Ashley Paul, Grouper, and Cate Le Bon while their newfound methods of production and arrangement recall the dense, mystical sonic worlds of Mega Bog and Weyes Blood. This short EP—Bell’s fourth official release—is an excitingly transitional and promising work from the young artist.

These five songs were written in 2020 and arranged for ensemble remotely as Bell recruited a large handful of collaborators and friends, many of whom have appeared live in past iterations of their backing band. Each musician’s makeshift home recording set-up allowed Bell to seamlessly and creatively incorporate their contributions on saxophone, flute, bassoon, harmonica, cornet, guitar, live electronics, keyboard, bass, and drums with precision. Helping with this endeavor was producer Louis Stephens, with whom Bell has built a fruitful creative relationship across several years, multiple projects and three official releases: 2019’s 2+/1- and Moving Like Icebergs Against Each Other b/w Sucking Stones as well as 2020’s Precept).

Bell’s creative approach has them excavating and interrogating various sources of inspiration over the duration of a project. These sources are as disparate as work by poet Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, unfinished songs they had written two years ago, and a particularly striking text following a hook-up. These appear in the form of fragments, broken up and tossed around over the duration of a song.

awry builds off of Bell’s previous release Precept as a collection of songs. Bell also maintains a practice of longer form experimental compositions which can be heard on 2+/1– and Moving Like Icebergs Against Each Other b/w Sucking Stones. — Leah B. Levinson

pluto bell

Los Angeles-based

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