Merging disparate influences comes natural to Half Waif‘s Nandi Rose Plunkett, maybe because of her Indian, Irish, Swiss and American roots, as well as classical training, love of electronic instrumentation, and a natural inclination towards a pop hook. New track ‘Ceremonial’ (streaming) might take a while to enter your system, but once it does, you’ll be transported by its grace and unexpected depth. From globules of bouncy pop to classic low string style synths, the song shifts through genres with surprising dexterity. There’s a slight off beat to the 4/4 rhythm underpinning the various sonic layers, suggesting a slight element of conflict between the inner and outer, a transience, like that of the waif. Even her voice constantly shifts – crisp enunciation falls on the beat, punctuated with chanting gasps, followed by a soaring bridge with stretched vocals. A downshift in tempo two minutes in does not seem out of place in a track only 4 minutes long, but instead augments its simple symphonic quality. Featured in our latest Best of NYC year end list, Half Waif is currently working on her first full length album, and you can see live on Friday 11th July at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn. – Francesca Baker
