The singer and cellist reflects change and grief on their second album. It’s been seven years since Blood, the 2019 debut full-length from singer and cellist Kelsey Lu that channeled Arthur Russell-esque art pop and Laurel Canyon folk romanticism. In the time since, the North Carolina-born, Brooklyn-based musician has scored two films (the BAFTA-winning Earth Mama and the Netflix documentary Daughters); shared a stage with Debbie Harry; collaborated with Yves Tumor, Boys Noize, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland; and released a remix EP (2019’s Blood Transfusion). But despite their impressive multidisciplinary output, Kelsey Lu has described the period as a time of grief, change, and renewal, as reflected in their long-awaited second album. With contributions from Sampha, Kamasi Washington, and Kim Gordon, it’s an intense but graceful clarification of Lu’s eccentric vision—baroque chamber pop with fuzzy guitar, cinematic swells, a subtle electronic heartbeat, and a touch of soul.