Kidsticks

The folktronica icon once more muddies her guitars with gauzy beats. After latterly charting a traditional folk-rock course, Kidsticks represents a sharp—and welcome—sonic left-turn. Or rather a sonic reverse. Aided by some taut production from Fuck Buttons’ Andrew Hung, this is Orton darting down new-but-neighbouring electronic avenues to the ones she conquered in the ‘90s. The textures she builds are mesmeric (see: the restless “Moon” and “Dawnstar”) and there’s a delicacy to her work (synth ballad “1973” and the pastoral “Corduroy Legs”) that’s genuinely refreshing.