Emma-Jean Thackray’s upcoming album Weirdo was recorded, mixed, produced and written entirely in her south London flat. Listening to its lead single ‘Wanna Die’, which features multi-layered vocals, floating paddy synthesisers and shuffling jazz drums that sound tighter than many a studio recording, it’s a shock.
But it’s a deeply personal album, which she had originally conceived as an exploration of her neurodivergence, took a turn after the passing of her long-term partner. Soon, it developed into a canvas for grief and resilience. “I don’t wanna die / I just wanna sleep for a while / Maybe forever / I’ll say that I’m fine” she sings.
It gives a different perspective to the fact that she recorded the album in her home, removing any separation between work and play. The result is deeply intimate, and across its 11 tracks, she lays bare her story in diary-esque fashion. For Analogue Appreciation, our new series celebrating the power of physical culture in a world dominated by screens, Emma-Jean invited us into her flat to share her most cherished physical items.
