Jazmine Mary: DOG (digital outlets)

Even in the broad church loosely described as “alternative”, Australia-born, locally-based Jazmine Mary – identifying as they/them – stands out.

Their debut album The Licking of a Tangerine – which won Best Independent Debut in the 2022 Taite Prize – had core elements of alt.folk. But with strings and saxophone embellishments there was also baroque pop-cum-front parlour elegance, sometimes with a dreamily detached delivery.

It could be downbeat and spare, but their personal lyrics pulled the listener into their rarified world: “Walking round with a belly full of rocks . . . you wouldn't like me if you met me now” on Dancer.

Their new album DOG – a fish on the cover, go figure – brings further elements: overt sensuality (“I'm from a small town . . . get your wet mouth and put it on me” in the disturbing narrative of Wet Mouth); Cohen-like lyrical mystery; melodic austerity and unexpected arrangements; an Eno-esque minimalist figure running through the skeletal Getting Down, and droll lyrics (You're Never Alone If You've Got Music ending with a yelp).

There's also a European folk-pop sensibility (Only Yellow) which descends close to Nico on the piano ballad Dope (a cousin to Dancer) where their voice dips towards baritone.

With subtle support from multi-instrumentalist Dave Khan, Wax Chattels/Sulfate's Peter Ruddell, the Beths' Liz Stokes, saxophonist JY Lee (Avantdale Bowling Club, Melodownz, JessB) and others, Jazmine Mary delivers an accomplished and lyrically seductive collection of discrete songs with a spectral and still gravitas.

Their DOG star is ascendant.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.