Album Review: Bertie Blackman - Pope Innocent X

Bertie Blackman illustrates the kaleidoscope of her childhood in new album Pope Innocent X. Blackman has created a darker record than her preceding album, Secrets And Lies, perhaps a result of producer François Tétaz's influence.

Tétaz (Goyte, Kimbra), who Blackman describes as the “Willy Wonka of music”, has supported Blackman in her step away from the sexual and gritty façade present on her previous album. Instead she has made each song, as she describes, “a separate and different journey…”, each reflecting her memories on the diverse events which made up her childhood. This variable construction, however, limits the fluency of the album and therefore blindsides some admirable tracks on the record.

An epitome of the latter is the track Stella, where gentle strings are intertwined with breathy angelic harmonies, creating a beautiful and whimsical atmosphere. The emotionally heavy Shadow Chasers has similar eminence, as Blackman sings of her relationship with her father, the artist Charles Blackman: “We are the shadow chasers… the fiends of the night that won't leave me alone”. In a recent interview, Blackman explained how during the writing of this song she found parallels between her father's art work and her own. “He lived in his shadows and there has always been a bit of darkness to what I do,” she said.

Heavy, distorted drum beats and surging tambourine jingles resonate on this track, creating a menacing atmosphere. Blackman's insightful reflection highlights the importance of remaining connected to the desolate and creative mindspace stemming from our childhood imaginations. Even if you don't quite remember how, Pope Innocent X is Bertie Blackman's guide to getting back there.