Beth Orton

British folktronica ace Beth Orton broke into the music-loving consciousness via a Chemical Brothers track, but she’s dedicated more time to the “folk” side of the equation since. That’s never been more true than on 2006’s Comfort Of Strangers, an album she constructed with the help of weirdo post-rocker Jim O’Rourke (Gastr Del Sol, Sonic Youth, etc.). Chill arrangements helped bring Orton’s voice to the fore more than ever, creating a sonic blend that sits on the continuum between Fiona Apple and Cat Power. Orton has since left her longtime label Heavenly Records, so expect to hear the material she’s been stockpiling while searching for a new home.

Updated 08/02/2010