Sylvie Lewis: The song I sang before I met you (Single, 2012)

"Richard Swift is something of a house favorite at Listen, Dammit: he’s a musician and producer with exquisite good taste, whether he’s recording by himself or with The Shins, the Mynabirds or Damien Jurado. Add Sylvie Lewis to the list.

The London-born, Rome-based singer and songwriter teamed with Swift on her new album, “It’s All True.” Recorded over a week last fall in Swift’s Oregon studio, Lewis and Swift played nearly all the instruments themselves (apart from contributions from Sondre Lerche and the film composer Pasquale Catalano). The result is a collection of stunning, understated songs built around airy arrangements centering around Lewis’ clear-sky voice, which often sounds as there’s a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

She’s giving away the first single, “The Song I Sang Before I Met You,” and lucky you: with playful shades of bossa nova, Lewis muses on her old life through gauzy layers of reverb. It’s as refreshing as it is riveting, like a cool breeze at twilight in summer that sweeps away the heat of the day.

Lewis releases “It’s All True” herself June 19" (listendamnit.com)

The Song I Sang Before I Met You mp3