The new single from Hannah Cohen is an effective blend of a grooving, rhythmic strum with a bright, melodic vocal – a catchy arrangement that pulls you in and gets you moving. There’s an appealing lightness to Cohen’s easy, tuneful voice, which goes well with the jazzy, soulful feel of “Draggin'”, a song that captures the often-absurd nature of familial relationships. Cohen says of the song: “There is a universal truth: water is wet, the sun rises in the east and your family will drive you to your brink.”
This single features on Cohen’s new album “Earthstar Mountain”, due out 28th March. The follow-up to 2019’s well-received “Welcome Home” is a collaboration with Sam Evian and includes guest appearances from Sufjan Stevens, Sean Mullins, Oliver Hill and Clairo. Cohen moved to the Catskills in 2018 and the new songs were put together over several years as a love letter to the mountains, a musical keepsake of her time spent there and reflecting her connection to the environment. The collection addresses the complexities of change and the conflict, indecision and uncertainty over which direction to take in life. Cohen notes: “I’ve always wanted a certain life, but then I also want another kind of life. They both hover over me all the time.” Perhaps the key is accepting that any path you choose can lead to wonderful views, like the 1882 lithograph print used for the front cover of the new album or on Cohen’s own regular hikes through the wooded beauty of the Catskills. Engrossing and varied, this is an album worth checking out.
