Chelsea Wolfe- She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She

“You only know the one I’ve been

I’ve shed a thousand skins since then” 

Not many artists are quite so familiar with re-invention as Chelsea Wolfe; on She Reaches Out to She…, she wanes away the pagan-folk of her prior LP and welcomes electronics back under her shroud. Expounding on the darkwave of Pain Is Beauty, her latest churns through nocturnal scenery while flipping familiar gothic, industrial, and trip-hop influences around on their heads. Dave Sitek (of TV on the Radio fame) contributes razor-sharp production that provides clarity to each element without losing the shadowy murk the album inhabits so naturally. But perhaps the most notable progression Wolfe has made is personal—as nightmarish as her soundscapes are, her lyrics expound optimism. As each track twists toward its uniquely devastating climax, Wolfe’s vocals soar with the fire of someone bursting from their internal void to fight for the light in their life—and coming from Queen of Darkness, that means something. Her latest displays an artist fully aware of themselves and their brand, who knows just how to throw their audience for a loop. By combining that knowledge with a willingness to turn inward and face her demons, Chelsea Wolfe has crafted a proper goth album for the ages.

-neekafat