Lee Switzer-Woolf’s debut record is an intimate and introspective piece of modern folk that’s raw in its authenticity and mode of expression while still maintaining a degree of polish and sheen to give it a slightly more current and finished feeling. The songs focus on Woolf’s lyricism, stripped back and minimal although vulnerable and emotive. Mostly natural recordings populate the record while electronic beats and shimmer give it an additional layer of distinctiveness. In totality, it’s really a piece of folktronica, modern folk that retains the spirit and essence of the genre alongside the glisten of modernity.
The songs are quirky and endearing in both name and in execution. Simple and warm tracks like Uhtceare and Cold Coffee in the Marijuana Plant give you the feeling of Sunday mornings, a do nothing energy, and a complete blissful relaxation amidst the on goings around you. There’s enough intricacy in the instrumentation to still retain a minimalist feel but be intriguing to explore again and again. Notably the electric guitar in Uhtceare adds a whole new dimension. The acoustic driven pieces like ‘A Printout of Task-Driven Love’ see Woolf at his most intimate and raw. There’s nothing here besides his own vocals and simple yet incredibly expressive vocals alongside an acoustic melody behind him. My favourite piece on the record definitely comes on ‘I Thought it Would Feel Cooler to be This Damned’, a raw recording that has heavy bass elements alongside Woolf at his most expressive. The production cascades into something incredibly melodic while still bearing with it this pulsating and oppressively heavy bass like a static backdrop.
‘Scientific Automatic Palmistry’ is a remarkable piece of indie music. A folk album that transcends the genre in its keenness to experiment and innovate, but also in its rawness, quirkiness, and vulnerability. Wonderfully unique.