Angel Olsen has abandoned her previously successful folk-rock sound for a darker, poppier aesthetic. ‘Intern’, arriving two years after Olsen’s brilliant Burn Your Fire For No Witness, is a welcome change to her already vibrant oeuvre. The track – accompanied by an undeniably ironic video directed by Olsen herself – positions Olsen as an artist aiming for something more abstract in her music; she’s aiming for an expression much larger than herself.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r248o_rUfKE]
The spacey and dark synths of the track allows Olsen to illustrate the control and mastery she has over her vocal range. When Angel sings “I pick up the phone, but I swear it’s the last time / Falling in love and I swear it’s the last time” her falsetto dances between the spacious synth lines until her voice becomes embedded in the electronic soundscape. The electronic sound really re-contextualises the vocal originality of Olsen.
The transmission noise which ends the song, too, leaves the listener wanting more, but it also serves a role in the message of the song. The noise which ends the song – cutting it off before it really gets to a climax – implies that the “last time” for anything is not determined, it happens randomly; change is largely unexpected.
If you enjoyed ‘Intern’ be sure to check out Angel Olsen’s new album, My Woman, which will drop sometime in 2016.
Words by Benjamin Newman