Laurie Anderson has recruited ANOHNI for “India and On Down to Australia,” the latest single from her upcoming album, Amelia. Stream the new song below.
An expansive orchestral track, “India and On Down to Australia” was built from one of Anderson’s unreleased songs, “Rumba Club,” and furthers the concept album’s theme of capturing Amelia Earhart’s final flight. “We land at Dum Dum Airport Calcutta,” Anderson sings. “Streets are wide/ White bulls are walking everywhere/ Passed the many mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers.”
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In a statement about the track, Anderson explained it came together during “pandemic times.” The orchestra recorded their part first, followed by Anderson adding her vocals and sprinkling in electronics.
“And I thought, ‘I need to make the story a little bit bigger, so I’m going to find a bridge between the electronic viola that I’m playing and the orchestra,’ so that became percussion by Kenny Wollesen, bass by Tony Scherr, viola by Martha Mook — a little string trio that was organized by Rob Moose, with Nadia Sirota playing as well,” she continued. “And then Marc Ribot doing some groove parts and of course Anohni. So it became this big romantic orchestral thing.”
Amelia is slated for release on August 30th via Nonesuch Records and also features the first single “Road to Mandalay.” CD and vinyl pre-orders are ongoing.
This fall, ANOHNI and the Johnsons are headed out on their first North American tour in eight years. See the full schedule, and get tickets here.