“It's my favourite piece of gear that I own now – I use it on absolutely everything": Art School Girlfriend on the second-hand dynamic mic that shaped the "intimate" sound of new album Lean In

Working under the moniker Art School Girlfriend, London-based artist and producer Polly Mackey records emotionally charged, shoegaze-influenced synth-pop that marries introspective lyricism with textural electronics.

Mackey's latest project, Lean In, finds the Wrexham-born artist exploring existential themes of grief, joy, love and anxiety – "Big Life Shit", in her own words – through melancholic, reverb-drenched songs that draw on all corners of her diverse musical background.