Track of the Day: Aldous Harding “The Barrel” (2019)

Last week saw singer-songwriter Aldous Harding share her new single “The Barrel”, the first taste from the New Zealander’s forthcoming third album Designer. 

Along with the new single, we were also treated to a wonderfully eccentric and frankly captivating Martin Sagadin directed music video. Featuring Harding dressed in her best puritan costume, the video provides the new video with some striking visuals and the internet with many a gif-able moment. 

“The Barrel” is simply beautiful stuff. It manages to be somehow both upbeat and melancholic all at the same time. The track also highlights the continued development of Harding’s sound too; there’s a richness and warmth to it, and certainly a boldness to the visuals that suggest an artist who is confident in both their art and their image. Whether, “The Barrel” is indicative of the rest of the album remains to be seen, but it is certainly nowhere near as stark as her 2015 debut. 

Designer, which will be released April 26th, sees Harding reuniting with John Parrish, the producer of 2017’s Party. Recorded over fifteen days, the album is a collection of songs written on the road, with Harding straight into the studio after coming off a 100-date tour last summer. Harding will spend much of April and May on the road in the US and Europe in support of the new album, so hopefully we’ll see her return to play shows in Australia later this year too. Until then, check out the new single and video below. 

“The Barrel” is available now. Designer is available April 26th via 4AD/Remote Control/Flying Nun. To pre-order the album head HERE. You can keep up to date with all things Aldous via her Official Site, Facebook and Instagram.

Simon Clark

Books Editor. An admirer of songs and reader of books. Simon has a PhD in English and Comparative Literature. All errant apostrophes are his own.