Samara Lubelski

Samara Lubelski’s highly anticipated debut is causing quite the stir in New York’s psychedelic underground these days, and it’s easy to see why. A long-standing member of the city’s adventurous musical community, Lubelski is the main lady behind modern psych-folk pioneers Hall of Fame, a member of Metabolismus, the Tower Recordings and, previously, God Is My Co-Pilot and the Sonora Pine, as well as a hired engineer at the famed Rare Book Room. Hell, she’s even sung in the choir with the Hidden Cameras. Her solo debut, however, is far from being as obscure as any of her previous work — rather it’s a breezy, easy slice of finely crafted folk bristling with gentle psychedelia and lush pop elements. By putting down her violin and picking up her guitar, she simply accompanies her whispering voice and lets her arrangements do the talking, with expertly performed highlights of flute, percussion, celeste, strings and recorder appearing precisely where they’re needed. Her lyrics, too, are equally intuitive, sending up feelings of longing for simpler times and the warmer, friendlier sides of exploring our inner cosmos. Songs like "Waiting by the Gate,” "Keeper of Beauty” and "Now’s Morning’s Calling” are but a few of the finely crafted classics lurking on this timeless slice of exquisite beauty. Bonus: All this wonderful music comes wrapped in Lubelski’s own riveting psychedelic artwork. What else could you ask for?