Divers

Divers represents a significant evolution in Joanna Newsom's discography, moving away from the sprawling triple-album format of Have One on Me toward a more concise but equally dense structural approach. Released in 2015 on Drag City, the album was recorded over several years with a focus on 'the character of the space.' Unlike her previous work which often featured a single arranger, Divers utilizes multiple collaborators including Nico Muhly and Dave Longstreth to create distinct sonic environments for each track. The album is famously circular; the final word of the closing track, 'transcend,' is cut off, only to be completed by the first word of the opening track, 'sending.' Critics across the board, including AllMusic and Pitchfork, lauded the album for its technical precision and thematic depth, noting that Newsom had successfully refined her avant-folk sensibilities into a more accessible but no less challenging form. It stands as her most instrumentally diverse work to date.