Sugarplum Fairies are back with a bang, and have truly outdone themselves this time. After much lead up and anticipation, the iconic 90’s dream pop outfit are back, but this time it’s all Silvia Ryder. The Viennese artist/chanteuse shares a collection of modern renditions of her 90’s hits, remastered and re-imagined. ‘Altar Songs (1998-2021)’ serves as a snapshot of Sugarplum Fairies’ evolution from its 1998 origins as a Vienna-raised/California-based husband and wife duo, which – after a personal and creative split in 2013 – resulted in the moniker for a rotating artistic collective spearheaded by Ryder herself.
Reclaiming agency in these new musical renditions, the songs featured highlight Ryder’s stunning breathy vocals and signature folk noir sound. With hits like “Hold On To Me” and “Malta Smile 55” and also a brand new track, “Tears” (the projects’ first brand new song in years!), the album feels vast in scope, expansive, and highly cinematic. Tracing Sugarplum Fairies’ sonic journey from their shoegaze-infused dream-pop roots to jangly vintage guitar pop, everything is tied together by Ryder’s signature Nico-esque hypnotic croon and a genre-defying mélange of non-traditional instruments – accordion, harmonium, omnichord, and Baldwin Fun Machine to name a few. The result is an LP that feels like it should be set to score the next Wes Anderson film thanks to its sweeping cinematics, storytelling, and subtle idiosyncrasies.
‘Altar Songs’ feels part dream diary, part coded messages, and part cynical musings on life, but altogether something of another time and space altogether. One might hear this in Ryder’s poetic lyricism, or see this in her highly aesthetic music videos that have accompanied the string of subsequent singles leading up to this larger release. The collection also features a considerably impressive list of collaborators including: original Uncle Tupelo/Wilco drummer and producer Ken Coomer, late Mazzy Star drummer Keith Mitchell, Jebin Bruni (Public Image Ltd, Fiona Apple) on bass and keyboards, Joey Waronker (drummer for Beck and REM), Gus Seyffert (bassist for Beck, Norah Jones), cellist Martin Tillman (Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett), and horn-section mastermind Danny T. Levin (Iggy Pop, Rilo Kiley) amongst many others. Produced and mixed by Marlon Rabenreither of Gold Star and (re)mastered by Timothy Stollenwerk for Stereophonic Mastering (Bonnie “Prince” Billy, The Dandy Warhols).
Created with the help of highly-esteemed visual artists and videographers, musical aficionados, and production masterminds, ‘Altar Songs’ truly is a feat unto itself. Equally nostalgic and timeless, these songs harken back to memories of Sugarplum Fairies as they were, while also paving the way for the band as they are today.
Give ‘Alter Songs (1998-2021)’ a listen below and for more information on Sugarplum Fairies, give their page a like on Facebook or follow them on Instagram.
