After the Rain

Velveteen acoustic magic five years in-the-making. The death of his father left Benjamin Francis Leftwich taking an extended break from music and this second album adds a contemplative depth to his immersive folk. His intricate finger-picking dazzles on “Tilikum”, weightless synths swirl through the gorgeous “Kicking Roses” and there’s a restorative burst of brightness to “Mayflies”. Leftwich’s voice, meanwhile, is a breathy, cosmic presence throughout, floating across his pristine songs.