If you like Florence and the Machine, but wish she was just a bit more whimsical, Diemm is the artist you have been waiting for.
‘Moon Pocket’, a song off her upcoming debut album, Ten Thousand Miracles, fully embraces the artist’s folk roots. If you are looking for pop-folk, you will not find it here. The song is haunting, ethereal; it evokes the sensation one feels when wandering through the woods on a rainy day. The song is a slow burn; there is no power bridge or drum solos in this one. This song is a folk song, through and through.
I tend to be sceptical when it comes to new-age folk. I have a big fan of the aforementioned Florence and the Machine, but I find other artists who attempt to occupy the same space pale imitations at best and tiresomely pretentious at worst. I did not sense an ounce of pretension in Diemm’s song. She sings like she means every word and uses her voice so effectively it essentially becomes part of the melody itself. The harp overlay allows the song to be particularly chilling; without it, ‘Moon Pocket’ would not be nearly as memorable.
There is a small, not very well hidden part of me that desperately desires to be as carefree as Diemm sounds in this song. Her lyrics are allegorical, as nearly every new folk song tends to be these days. Diemm sings earnestly about a time just beyond her reach. Her song centers on the earth, her relation with the environment, female empowerment, and seems to affirm a belief in the eternal. If that all sounds a little heavy for you, let me assure you that the song itself is not. Diemm has the incredible ability to discuss heavy, sad, or even complicated topics in a manner that makes them sound light. You are not aware that you are being preached to unless you turn on the closed captioning. Even then:
Her lyrics read more like a personal meditation than a sermon.
I don’t have any stories to tell
I don’t have any stories to tell
Before she takes to flying she must shed
Her cocoon
To touch the sky; to spread her wings and fly
The album is available for streaming on the app Bandcamp, but based on what I listened to, I would highly recommend shelling out the $15 CAD. ‘Moon Pocket’ is a beautiful song that you will be able to listen to again and again. Rare is the artist that can create a song with this many layers. Diemm has managed to do so on her first try.
