RUTH GOLLER - SKYLLUMINA

Released: 01/03/24

While perhaps best known for her bass and vocal work with London jazz trailblazer Alabaster DePlume, the Italian-born composer, musician, and vocalist Ruth Goller has an incredibly diverse CV that includes performance and recording credits with Melt Yourself Down, Shabaka Hutchings, Rokia Traore, and more. On her beguiling second LP (and International Anthem debut) Skyllumina, Goller expands on the concept of debut Skylla – centred around Slint-like de-tuned bass harmonics, with layered voices – with the novel idea of collaborating with a different drummer on each track. And what a list of percussionists it is, featuring the likes of The Smile's Tom Skinner, Polar Bear and Sons of Kemmet founder Seb Rochford, and International Anthem labelmate Bex Burch. 

Featuring, variously, dark washes of melody, redolent of Grouper or Low, sublime contrapuntal percussion, the aforementioned bass work, and John Cage/David Tudor-esque prepared piano, all shot through with Goller’s spectral, layered vocals, reminiscent of Julia Holter and Björk, Skyllumina is a breathtaking avant-garde work from a singular artist.