Early last year, NYC singer-songwriter June McDoom debuted with the release of “The City,” a captivating combination of genres ranging from folk to reggae. Over a year later, she continues to pay homage while thinking of ways to reimagine her songs on her newest EP, With Strings. After supporting Nick Hakim and Alt-J on their tours, McDoom is now on her first headlining tour, which includes an LA date on Jan. 23 at Gold Digger’s.
In contrast to her self-titled EP, which saw McDoom returning to her roots through folk music, With Strings updates what the 70s previously established and takes it to a timeless space carried by the heavenly backing of harps and strings.
If the title didn’t already give it away, With Strings pays homage to the 70s artists that inspired her, such as Judee Sill and Tia Blake, by incorporating, well, strings. McDoom was profoundly influenced by Sill, whose “songwriting and arrangements have impacted me deeply.”
The sentiment couldn’t be more evident in “Emerald River Dance,” which lives up to its mythical title thanks to strings fitting for a film score. As always, McDoom matches the energy of the instrumental and takes flight on what ought to be her track for how much she makes it her own. The track’s climax grows almost epic proportions, surrounding McDoom in a storm of strings slowly closing in on her.
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The EP is not entirely devoted to covers, as is the case with “The City – With Strings,” a rearranged version of a McDoom original that’s among the first songs she ever wrote. Compared to its predecessor, the track is considerably longer than the original, taking on a new life and never dragging out in its six-minute runtime. Sparkly notes at the halfway point give “The City – With Strings” an added glimmer, serving as the perfect antidote to the drones and heavy basslines.
What makes With Strings so unique in the context of McDoom’s discography thus far is how it seemingly captures her starting to fall in love with music production. In her own words, McDoom said, “My first EP, June McDoom, was hugely inspired by the minimal sound of the 60s and 70s folk era. I wanted to reimagine a couple of those songs more stripped down as a follow-up to that first EP.” If anything, she did more than strip those tracks down, making what were already stellar songs all the more special.
Words: David Sosa
With Strings by June McDoom is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and tour dates, including tickets to her LA show at Gold Digger’s on Jan. 23, follow her on Instagram and Bandcamp.
Nov 11 – (EP Release Party) Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Nov 16 – Gambier, OH @ Kenyon College
Nov 28 – Boston, MA @ O’Brien’s
Nov 29 – Kingston, NY @ Tubbys
Dec 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ Creep Records
Dec 3 – Washington, DC @ Pieshop
Dec 7 – Queens, NY @ Stone Circle Theatre at Ridgewood Presbyterian Church
January 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Venue TBA
January 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Digger’s
