We Made This Ourselves

In 2004, she started recording at home with an eight-track. This gave her the freedom to experiment. She realized what she needed to do in order to create the sound she wanted -- nothing. Let the songs be roughly hewn. Keep them minimal. Avoid all indulgences. Let the music get as dark as it has to be. Her past few years' life experience gave rise to the lyrics that are so central to this record.

The result is We Made This Ourselves, a stunningly emotional album. At the core, Essie Jain's songs are touching, haunting melodies that can strike out on one fragile, repeating note. Yet, they sound indestructible. It's like nothing you've ever heard before, and it is spoken with a powerful quiet.