Tessa Rose Jackson has today released her new EP titled ‘A Mirror Sometimes’. Like a welcomed old friend, reuniting after a long hiatus, ‘A Mirror Sometimes’ has all of those familiarities of that safe place with a songwriter’s scope and a visionist’s flair.
A bit subdued at times with eureka moments fluttering throughout, the EP leaves you wanting and longing for more from an artist masquerading as a concept when, in fact, this is part of who she is. An artist in a transition of growth by finding her sound and making it our taste. This is where the indie scene should be headed, not necessarily in style but in ambition.
About ‘A Mirror Sometimes’
The EP is a testament to Jackson’s love of collaboration, featuring a host of artists who helped her craft a sonically rich and cohesive project. It will be released amidst a major European tour where Jackson will join acclaimed singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons as the opening act.
The focus track, “Hell or High Water”, captures a deeply personal and reflective moment, stemming from a collaboration with her longtime friend and former bandmate, Benjamin Longman.
“Two old friends, separated by the Atlantic for the larger part of adulthood, and a grandiose conversation about growing older,” says Jackson. “When Benjamin and I were teenagers, studying at the BRIT School in London, we were in a band and spent every minute together in the studio or on stage. Since then, Ben has moved to Canada, and our music-making days became limited. But on the cherished occasions that Ben makes the voyage over to the UK, we get together and an old, trusted muscle is flexed.”
The song explores themes of aging, growth, and acceptance, with Jackson noting how these conversations inspired a more relaxed and open perspective:
“The inevitable transient nature of life actually acts as a motivator to go with the flow a little. A bit less ‘my way or the high way.’ A bit less ‘come hell or high water.’”
Following a year that saw Jackson expand her artistry in groundbreaking ways—including contributing five original tracks to the soundtrack of the highly anticipated video game Life Is Strange: Double Exposure—A Mirror Sometimes is an invitation to dive deeper into her evolving sonic world.
“‘A Mirror Sometimes’ is a passion project that colored my year magical,” Jackson shares. “It started out as an experiment—writing with songwriters I admire to shake up my creativity—but it turned into something much more profound. Each collaboration brought a new spark of inspiration, reminding me of the pure joy of making music.”
The seven-track EP is a celebration of creative synergy, featuring a diverse roster of collaborators, including Noon Garden, Nana Adjoa, and Caoilian Sherlock. Jackson’s unique ability to blend her signature delicate indie sound with the styles of her collaborators has resulted in an EP that is both richly textured and remarkably cohesive.
From the raw vulnerability of “The Boulder” (a collaboration with Milo of The Shells, born from pandemic-era introspection) to the effortless flow of her track with Benjamin Longman (a reunion with her earliest musical partner from her BRIT School days), A Mirror Sometimes reflects the transformative power of music as both therapy and connection.
Drawing comparisons to Feist, Laura Marling, and Sharon Van Etten, Jackson continues to strike a balance between the familiar and the new, crafting songs that resonate deeply with listeners.
In addition to the release of A Mirror Sometimes, Jackson’s contributions to the Life Is Strange: Double Exposure soundtrack have debuted in tandem with the game’s release, including a special edition vinyl via Feel For Music.
With radio support from Paul Gallagher, Radio FIP, KCRW, and Amazing Radio already building excitement, A Mirror Sometimes is poised to solidify Jackson’s return to her own name as a milestone moment in her career.
Featured image by Bibian Bingen.
LINKS:
https://www.tessarosejackson.com/
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