Beth Orton has always made records that feel untethered from trends, and The Ground Above is another quietly extraordinary chapter in a career defined by fearless reinvention. Trading the submerged, spectral beauty of its predecessor, Weather Alive, for something more grounded and immediate, Orton embraces clarity without sacrificing mystery. Self-produced once again, the album balances intimate folk, jazz, and improvisational textures into songs that feel both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Themes of grief, love, aging, motherhood, and political unease weave through the album with remarkable emotional precision. Tracks like “Before I Knew” and “Cigarette Curls” examine memory and identity with understated grace, while the luminous “Waiting” celebrates resilience over fear. “Celestial Light” contemplates mortality with breathtaking tenderness, and “I’ll Miss You” offers a quietly devastating meditation on love without self-erasure.
Supported by an inspired ensemble of collaborators including Chris Vatalaro (Radiohead), Orton delivers some of her most expressive vocals to date, shifting effortlessly from hushed vulnerability to raw emotional release. The Ground Above is a profoundly human album that finds hope not in easy answers, but in the courage to keep showing up, one hard won step at a time.
