Nandi Rose’s project Half Waif has announced the release of her upcoming album Mythopoetics, due out July 9 via ANTI-Records, with the brand new single “Swimmer.” A music video for the track was released alongside it, which was directed by Kenna Hynes and features Rose’s mother.

“The idea for the music video came to me while I was recording ‘Swimmer’: a motorcycle chase, a quest to find a magic flower, and then the final scene where the flower is laid at the feet of an old woman, who bursts into light and is set free. I’ve always loved fantasy, the way it can capture the most poignant human emotions even when wildly surreal things are happening…,” said Rose in a press release.

Rose stated how the forthcoming album is one that she had been trying to make for at least a decade. She felt that voice had changed a lot over the course of time and also wanted to utilize how gaining confidence influenced her way of performing. The entire album itself is a creation that delves into processing past traumas but also opens up a pathway for transitioning into a new way of life.

“Swimmer” consists of a synth-pop base that is accompanied by Rose’s wide-range vocals. She described the process of using her voice “as a wand” because it was her way of connecting with her aunt, who she described as someone who is “slipping away.”

“I wrote Swimmer after visiting my aunt, who as Alzheimer’s. I’ll never forget the summer we were swimming at the lake where our family has a cabin – her mind was already slipping, but her body was still strong enough to swim across to the other side. It was incredible, how both things could be true. Now the only way I can reach her is through music. I sing for her with my hand on her shoulder, feeling the soft weight of her body through the blanket, pouring all of the love I have from my voice into that warm arm. I try to reconcile what is still here with what has already gone.”

Half Waif released her most recent albums The Caretaker, amid the coronavirus lockdown last year. To follow, “Orange Blossom” was also released and was featured on her 7”, which included the B-Side for “Party’s Over.”

Mythopoetics Track List:
1. Fabric
2. Swimmer
3. Take Away The Ache
4. Fortress
5. The Apartment
6. Sourdough
7. Party’s Over
8. Horse Racing
9. Orange Blossoms
10. Midnight Asks
11. Sodium and Cigarettes
12. Powder