On my stereo this week: Gia Ford’s ‘Our Mutual Friend’.

Sheffield-born alternative pop virtuoso Gia Ford is a musician who has surprisingly won me over with her self awareness, determination and strength of character. Earlier this year I interviewed her, where we talked about her forthcoming album Transparent Things and the outcasts and tragic characters which populate her songs. Now that it is out in the world (released Sept 13), I hope you’ll give it a spin. I’d hate to alienate potential listeners out there, but describing it is a little tricky. It’s what you might call an art rock album with alt-pop vibes, which finds inspiration in arrangements you might hear on a Nick Cave album. But it’s more than that. The theme of alienation runs through the album. Lyrically, it’s dark and menacing but there is also a tender side to Ford’s songs like Falling in Love Again and Loveshot which will surprise you. The latter is arguably my favourite track on the album with its funk inspired guitar riff. However, I’ve featured this song in my interview with Ford and in a change of pace I’d like for you to listen to instead Our Mutual Friend, the incredible closing track song from the album. Ford talked briefly about this song in our interview and I’ve been excited for months to finally feature it here. It’s a very moving song about love and death. It fits perfectly with what Ford is trying to achieve thematically across her album. It reminds me in some ways sonically of The Beatles Because. And while maybe it’s not as haunting as say Lisa Mitchell’s 2017 song Love, Death X (which gets me every single time when I listen to it), Our Mutual Friend is still a stunning song. It really is beautiful. No doubt about it.