The new standalone single from Pippa Blundell is a fine example of how to capture an atmosphere. It was written in a crowded artists’ house on the Isle of Skye during Storm Floris in the midst of a three-day power cut. Consequently, it becomes about being in the moment and savouring small pleasures, such as walks with a gorgeous springer spaniel who is the record’s cover star.
When discussing Blundell’s songs, her voice is always the first talking point. A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow with a degree in Mezzo-Soprano voice, she moved away from her original desire to be an opera singer settling upon an approach that is akin to the meeting point of Anna B Savage and This Is The Kit. On ‘Big Bear’, she is backed by piano that mirrors a river’s flow and a criss-crossing bassline. Perhaps as a consequence of her training, Blundell’s voice has perfect control. With the addition of field recordings, it is all deeply contemplative and touching, a piece of understated loveliness.
Pippa Blundell: Big Bear – Released 4 February 2026
I was editor of the long-running fanzine, Plane Truth, and have subsequently written for a number of publications. While the zine was known for championing the most angular independent sounds, performing in recent years with a community samba percussion band helped to broaden my tastes so that in 2021 I am far more likely to be celebrating an eclectic mix of sounds and enthusing about Made Kuti, Anthony Joseph, Little Simz and the Soul Jazz Cuban compilations as well as Pom Poko and Richard Dawson.
