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Marketa Irglova Debuts Music From Her First Solo Album

Markéta Irglová<strong></strong>, one half of The Swell Season, is releasing her first solo album, <em>Anar</em>, on Oct. 11.
Courtesy of the artist
Markéta Irglová, one half of The Swell Season, is releasing her first solo album, Anar, on Oct. 11.

Whether she's feeling it or just inciting it, Markéta Irglováhas a voice for heartache. In "Go Back," the first single from her forthcoming solo debut Anar, she starts off fragile, even a little broken. With regret in her voice, she lets the wrong one go. But once you hit the bridge, all horn-laden and backup-singer-infused, her pleas to stay away become demands. The tables seem to have turned. It might be for this guy's own good, not hers, to go back.

This new attitude is nothing like what we've heard from Irglová's other project, The Swell Season.

Irglová explained the change via email:

"Go Back" is a song I wrote after listening to some Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. I feel the soul music rubbed off on the song towards the end, both in terms of the horns and backing vocals, as well as the sense of empowerment I tried to instill in the energy and mood of it, in contrast to the somber beginning.

Irglová's willingness to take chances accompanies her recent move to New York City. With a little help from new musical friends like Persian drummer Aida Shahghasemi, the song demonstrates how much we still have to learn about Irglová as an artist.

Her solo debut, Anar, comes out Oct. 11.

Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Shannon Carlin

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