Esperanza Spalding is back: Yesterday, the jazz bassist released “12 Little Spells,” the first track off her forthcoming EP of the same name.
It’s a gorgeous listen: Hypnotic guitar lines, percussive flourishes and swelling strings cushion Spalding’s full-throated vocal delivery over five unhurried minutes. The video accompanying it, with its honey-yellow lighting and liberal application of bokeh, is similarly luxurious and soothing.
Like all other songs on the EP, “12 Little Spells” comes with a subtitle pertaining to a part of the human anatomy: ‘Thoracic Spine.’ “Grounded sensation of perpetual connection with the immensity of the external world,” Spalding elaborated somewhat cryptically on Facebook.
Spalding will unveil 12 Little Spells by releasing a new song every day, so keep a close watch on her social media for that. The full project drops October 19.
Watch the luminous video for “12 Little Spells” below: