Today British singer-songwriter Shura announces her return with her first new material in over five years. The single ‘Recognise‘ is available to stream now and is so gorgeously ethereal, it’s giving us some much-needed serenity in this ultra-chaotic time.

‘Recognise’ opens with the purity of Shura’s stripped-back voice with only the most minimal of synths, as she sings about longing to curl up with coffee and a good book. Recalling the opening to Björk’s ‘Undo’, the song then expands bringing in the huge sound of a celtic drum, piano and such a beautifully organic production. With such layered vocals too, there’s a definite Kate Bush-ness going on in this new era and it’s most welcome. Giving us Grunge and Medieval moments in the artwork, it feels as if Shura is about to take us on the ultimate Weird Walk across the moors.

“Arthur Russell sang ‘being sad is not a crime’ and yet somehow when I went through a period of despair in January I felt that the best course of action was to hide myself away from the world. I think Recognise is a song about coming out the other side of that feeling. Slowly coming to the understanding that everything is ok. And that ok – is good. That I can sit quietly, read a book, sip a coffee and deeply appreciate being here and everything that has happened and has yet to happen…”

The track is taken from the upcoming album, I Got Too Sad For My Friends, out 30th May via Play It Again Sam. Produced by Luke Smith (Foals, Shygirl, Depeche Mode) and featuring collaborations with Cassandra Jenkins, Becca Mancari and Helado Negro.

Artwork shot by Sophie Williams
Illustrated by Gilad Kaufman