In the seven years since she last played London, Polly Jean Harvey has revitalised her relationship with music. Disillusioned with the seemingly endless cycle of writing albums and touring, in 2017 the two-time Mercury Prize-winner stepped back from her solo career, switching her focus to composing scores and poems. And yet, it was poetry that paved the way back to music, with 2022’s narrative piece Orlam ultimately sparking inspiration for July’s long-player, I Inside the Old Year Dying.
At the first of two sell-out evenings at the Roundhouse, Harvey dedicated the first half of the set to performing that album in full. Blending eerie folk with electronic influences, steeped in magical realist imagery and delivered in the Dorset vernacular, it’s a challenging if rewarding listen on record. Live, it proved an immersive experience, thanks to director Ian Rickson’s intimate staging and to musical director John Parish’s evocative yet economical arrangements.
