Oropendola, the Brooklyn-based project of Joanna Schubert, today unveils her sophomore album, “Swimming,” via Spirit House Records. This intimate piano-vocal record arrives alongside a captivating music video for the focus track “Pyre,” offering a profound exploration of human connection and mortality.
The new single, “Pyre,” is a powerful testament to vulnerability. Schubert describes the track as inspired by the image of a funeral pyre, prompting a fearless gaze at transformation. The accompanying music video, filmed by Jackie West on an old Sony Handycam, beautifully captures this sentiment, exploring love and desire as both rebirths and reckonings.
In stark contrast to her kaleidoscopic debut, “Waiting for the Sky to Speak,” “Swimming” embraces a raw, unvarnished intimacy. Recorded primarily as solo sets on her childhood Steinway, the album highlights Schubert’s expressive piano work and evocative vocals. Co-produced with Zubin Hensler, the instrumentation is sparse yet rich, featuring contributions from collaborators Elizabeth LoPiccolo and Gabby Sherba.
Swimming is out now on Spirit House Records
Bandcamp: https://oropendola.bandcamp.com/album/swimming
