Ella Thompson – “Beloved”

Beloved. Adjective. Greatly, deeply, or dearly loved. A fairly straightforward definition, and one Ella Thompson seems determined to demonstrate in just under the length of a coffee break. Taken from her new album Triumph & Sadness, “Beloved” has the sort of immediate charm that makes you wonder whether you've heard it before, perhaps in a different decade, at a different age, in the company of someone you still think about fondly. I checked. We haven't met. Although I'm delighted to make its acquaintance.

Thompson draws from the soul recordings of the '60s and '70s, and Triumph & Sadness was recorded largely to tape, with the musicians capturing the warmth and spontaneity of those sessions. There's a wonderful sense of togetherness in the recording, from the interplay of the instruments to the way Thompson's voice moves through it all. Everything feels wonderfully human, with the little details that make you wish you could have been in the room when it was recorded.

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Thompson has little interest in chasing superficial things, preferring to spend her time with someone who makes the pressures of everyday life a little easier to carry. Love without a price tag. Affection without a complicated set of terms and conditions. Imagine that. And when she sings about floating away on a daydream, I believe her. I'd follow, too.

We've added “Beloved” to both of our Spotify playlists, Condensed, where we collect our favorite new pop discoveries, and Dinner Party, our ongoing soundtrack for good company and whatever happens to be on the menu. Getting invited to both feels like an accomplishment worth noting. This song can accompany a room full of conversation without disappearing into the background, and when the guests leave, I'd happily keep it playing. The dishes can wait.

Triumph & Sadness has plenty more to offer, and Thompson has already built an impressive body of work worth exploring. But I love starting here, with a song that asks so little of its listener and gives so generously in return.