Odetta Hartman
222 (Northern Spy)

Hailing from New York City’s famed East Village, Odetta Hartman has that whole melting-pot thing down pat. There is an obvious bluegrass core to 222, reportedly her first-ever “strictly solo” record, with banjo, violin, and acoustic guitar primarily supporting her lilting, countrified vocals. Yet, framing that throwback style, her sound expands to include field recordings, lo-fi processing, and electronic bass. “Creektime” has an early Fiona Apple vibe augmented by a William Ryan Fritch neoclassical folk lift and Jookabox indie glitchtronic eccentricity, while “Tap Tap” sees her vocals mutated and digitally delayed in a style occasionally reminiscent of Laurie Anderson.

Only 22 minutes long, 222 holds together as an album due to its distinctive artistic vision and thoughtful sequencing. The subbass and stuttering, stomp-clap beat of “Dreamcatchers” picks up steam until it abruptly stops. It’s one of the most aggressively electronic tracks, but it gives way to “Lazy LA”, with beach sounds accenting a summery acoustic guitar. Throughout the album, which feels longer than it is in a very good way, Hartman masterfully walks the line between being forward-thinking and respectful of the past.