Exclusive track premiere of ‘Save Me’ by Bird Call, taken from the latest EP, ‘The Life Is Extraordinary,’ out now.

‘The Life is Extraordinary’ EP showcases the pinnacle of Angelicola’s songwriting and production prowess, shaped by the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic and her journey through postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter. The collection traverses a rich emotional bag, from the introspective and candid tone of ‘Celebrity,’ a satirical jab at the absurdities of social media, to a shimmering dream pop interpretation of Aimee Mann’s beloved anthem ‘Save Me.’ The EP features the irresistibly vibrant single ‘Pray to the Unknown’ and the intricately woven romance of ‘The Light Inside.’

This marks Angelicola’s second self-produced project after her 2019 LP, ‘Year of the Dogfish.’ The EP was recorded and mixed by her long-time collaborator Gabriel Galvin (known for his work with Rain Machine, Erin Durant, and Michael Leviton) and mastered by Amy Dragon at Telegraph Mastering. The instrumentation is lush, featuring Angelicola on piano, synths, and Wurlitzer alongside a talented ensemble that includes Jeremy Gustin on drums/percussion, Scott Colberg (of Calexico) on bass, Kirk Shoenherr (Tegan & Sara, Chet Faker) on guitar, Dave Smoota (TV on the Radio) on trombone, and Fred Lyenn Jacques (Mark Lanegan, Lyenn) on bouzouki and synths.

Chiara reflects on the EP, stating, “Despite the challenges I have faced in the past five years, this record has been nothing less than luminous in my creative life, a lighthouse for healing and moving forward. Historically, I’ve always written records in spite of something or someone and there has always been a darker element to the shades and hues in the tones and arrangements of the songs. After 20 years of making records, now approaching 40, I feel this work embodies me totally as a creative woman. Becoming a mother requires a shedding of old skin of sorts in order to become a whole and present person for my daughter. Going through this transformation encouraged me to be more irreverent to industry standards, whole and free to make and enjoy music unbeholden to your expectations. For this record, I am literally saying that life is extraordinary and our boundless capacity to grow is untethered to our past. I realize the production process felt more spontaneous, organic, and improvisational because of this mental liberty. ‘The Life is Extraordinary’ is my ode to motherhood, womanhood, and self-empowered creativity.”

Headline photo: Martin Yernazian

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