Masterpiece (Saddle Creek, 2016) Capacity (Saddle Creek, 2017) Adrianne Lenker: Abysskiss (Saddle Creek, 2018) U.F.O.F. (4AD, 2019) Two Hands (4AD, 2019) Adrianne Lenker: Songs and Instrumentals (4AD, 2020) Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (4AD, 2022) Adrianne Lenker: Bright Future (4AD, 2024), 5/12

Adrianne Lenker, lead of the band Big Thief, released the solo work Bright Future, following the warm, vibrant spirit of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You (“Time Escaping,” “Red Moon”) with subdued, meandering melodies that invite quiet introspection (“Real House,” “Sadness as a Gift,” “Free Treasure”). While Bright Future offers friendly, meditative tunes, it often lacks the energy or insight to fully captivate, leaning on generic atmospheric tones without elevating them through technical innovation or divergent creativity. Lenker achieves a form of existential simplicity on Bright Future, but at the expense of expanding upon the ethereal fantasias of U.F.O.F. and the lush, organic harmonies of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You. Ultimately, it remains unclear whether Bright Future reflects a missed opportunity to refine and innovate or a deliberate rejection of the linear expectations of artistic progress, embracing stasis as its own tranquil rebellion.