The phantom zone, the parallax, the upside down - there is a rich cultural history of exploring in-between places. Through her latest, Titanic Rising, Weyes Blood (aka Natalie Mering) has designed her own universe to soulfully navigate life’s mysteries. Maneuvering through a space-time continuum, she plays the role of melodic, sometimes melancholic, anthropologist. Tellingly, Mering classifies Titanic Rising - which was written & recorded during the first half of 2018, after three albums and years of touring - as the Kinks meet WWII or Bob Seger meets Enya. The latter captures the album’s willful expansiveness (“You can tell there’s not a guy pulling the strings in Enya’s studio” she notes, admiringly). The former relays her imperative to connect with listeners. “The clarity of Bob Seger is unmistakable. I’m a big fan of conversational songwriting” she adds. “I ust try to do that in a way that uses abstract imagery as well.” Released 4/15/2019 via Sub Pop Records.