COSMIC WAVES VOL1.
★★★
Angel Olsen’s last album was in 2022. Cosmic Waves Volume 1 feels like the work of an artist buying more time, but in a good way — investing in community via her own boutique label. This compilation amplifies five lesser-known artists and provides a welcome instalment of Olsen’s classic, haunted balladeering. Cosmic Waves showcases those five acts on the A-side, with Olsen covering one each of their tracks on the B-side. Her selections centre mostly on LA. The all-Olsen half stands alone as an EP of woebegone elegance. She has toured and duetted with Maxim Ludwig, and while his track is standard man-at-piano fare, Olsen’s version of his Born Too Blue, with its easy classicism, is a standout here. — Kitty Empire, The Observer
