Polly Paulusma’s sixth studio album, Wildfires, marks a bold new chapter in her illustrious career. Released on February 28th via One Little Independent Records and Wild Sound, this expansive double album spans nearly two hours, blending folk instrumentation with spoken-word poetry and immersive natural soundscapes. Produced by the renowned Ethan Johns, Wildfires takes listeners on a deeply personal journey through love in all its forms, from youthful innocence to enduring partnerships, and from heart-wrenching loss to divine longing. With its rich textures, articulate lyrics, and seamless blend of music and storytelling, Wildfires challenges us to slow down, listen deeply, and embrace the art of the concept album. We sat down with Polly to find out more
Your upcoming album Wildfires is a sprawling, two-hour journey. Can you talk about how the idea for such an ambitious project came together?
It happened by accident really. I just found myself in a very intense creative period writing, mostly between October 2022 and May 2023, when I was in a sort of frenzy, a fever-dream. Songs that were partial suddenly got finished, and then new ones began flying in. Sometimes I think songs are like little birds that just fly in the window. You can’t control it. you can sit by the window for years and put seed out and nothing happens. But in this time period, I had them coming in thick and fast, faster than I could hold them. In the middle of this period I reached out to Ethan Johns and was amazed to receive a response. When we met I gave Ethan 22 songs to consider, expecting a cull. But he could see something that joined them, an energy, and he was the one to advocate for recording 20 of them. So we recorded 20. One song refused to settle in studio, but miraculously 19 did, and these are the 19 tracks on the record.
How did Ethan’s involvement shape the music and overall vision of Wildfires?
So the songs were there, and the spoken-word passages also; and I knew they were conjoined, there was no separating them, and I knew the musical element of the spoken-word passages was also important. But I gave these ideas to him like a bag of dirty laundry, and his meticulous and empathetic listening saw all their potential. He was genuinely excited about the spoken-word tracks, and never questioned their centrality to the project. I have learned so much from being in his company, about what music is and what it means, how we express ourselves through communal music, how to respect its innate power and how to let go of ideas of perfection in the service of truth of feeling and the intricacies of simultaneous human performance. We also had fierce debates about philosophy, about literature, about art. I also have to thank him for Gilgamesh. It’s one of the most productive musical collaborations I’ve ever had.
Wildfires includes spoken-word passages recorded in nature. What inspired you to incorporate this element, and what was the recording process like?
So I had done demos of these tracks in my shed with Jon recording his parts in his home, but the voices of the spoken word sections were fairly neutral. From our very first meeting Ethan had the idea to go out and record in nature, catch the world down the mic with them, the wind against a standing stone, the drip of water in a quarry cave, the echo of a church, the tinkles of the river. But I think his extra stroke of genius was to record me multiple times in each of these locations, and then feathering them up to create an ethereal whispering effect that you would think would be really distracting but in fact has the opposite effect, and creates hyper-focus. This is not digital delay, or copy and paste, but multiple discrete takes layered on top of one another. When we first heard it I think we both let out a little yelp. Yes, that’s it. That’s it.
In an age of quick, digestible content, you’ve crafted an album meant to be experienced as a whole. Why was this approach important to you?
I just think we can do it, and we’re in danger of forgetting that we can. Long attention is what my whole life is about. Writing songs demands obsessive pondering over days and weeks, sometimes years. And it feels so good. Reading a long novel gives you so much pleasure because meanings start doubling back on themselves, they enfold you, wrap you up. We know we can do this stuff. The algorithm is in danger of infantilising us all. Look across this record and find me all the lost rings, the rubies, the stars that talk or sound: and tell me what they mean to you. There’s imagery running through it that speaks deeper than a 15 second reel ever could, because it has time to unpack itself in you if you give it time. We all need to give ourselves is the gift of time, the gift of attention, so that we don’t forget who we are.
The album explores love in its many forms, from childhood innocence to romantic passion and beyond. Was there a particular moment or period in your life that shaped the stories you’re telling here?
I think every second I have been alive is in here one way or another.
Songs like “Mary Louise” and “Tiny Little Things” are deeply emotional. Do you have a personal favourite on the album, or one that holds special significance for you?
No, my favourite thing is in the flow of it, and that runs all the way through. It’s the way it grows as you listen. That’s the power, the magic of it.
You worked closely with Jon Thorne and other musicians on Wildfires. How did their contributions influence the final sound of the record?
Jon’s musicality is fundamental to how this album sounds. He was there right at the beginning. I began hurling songs and prologues at him the minute we got back from tour in October 2022 and he composed beautiful music for the spoken-word sections which have largely remained in place. Sometimes I rewrote the words to fit the music, it was that tight. The influence of his spatial playing on tour was a massive part of what made me rush back to writing. And then Neil Cowley — by coincidence in March 2023 I had been knocked sideways by hearing Neil Cowley Trio’s album Spacebound Apes , just as Ethan and I were starting to talk. I heard this piano playing that sounded like the inside of my heart. And then I saw that he and Ethan had made some records together already – so I asked Eth, would Neil perhaps join us? And Neil said yes. Miraculously, he didn’t listen to any of the demos before we arrived in studio. He just went for it. He’s a genius. It was a privilege to play with him. And as for Eth — as well as all that producing, he’s one of my favourite drummers in the whole world: just listen to Ryan Adams’ Heartbreaker or Ray Lamontagne’s Trouble and you’ll know what I mean. And to have him play for this, as well as produce, well it doesn’t get any better.
Between teaching, writing, and performing, you wear many hats. How do these different facets of your career inform and inspire your music?
I like to make things, and I like to think about making things. All these get fed by the professional layers in my life. I also love to think very deeply about words and the music of them. Musically I am completely illiterate — I can’t read the dots, I see it all feelingly — but I have a PhD in literature so I’m overdeveloped in that department. I often joke I’m like one of those crabs with one massive claw and one tiny claw. But I love the freedom that flying blind in music gives me, I can just feel music flowing through me and I don’t know what I’m doing but I know when it feels right.
From touring with Bob Dylan to releasing Wildfires, how do you see your evolution as an artist over the years?
I strive to listen better.
With Wildfires releasing on February 28th and upcoming live performances, what are you most looking forward to in 2025?
The tour is going to be joyful. I love the road, I’m insane for it, so that’s the first thing. After that, who knows? Just sharing this gift of an album we’ve made by a series of serendipities to as many people as possible, that’s my mission.
With Wildfires, Polly Paulusma invites listeners to embark on an emotional and reflective journey that defies the fast-paced world of modern music. As she prepares to bring these songs to life in live performances alongside bassist Jon Thorne, Paulusma continues to prove that her artistry is as brave as it is timeless. Wildfires is out on February 28th on One Little Independent.
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