On her latest acoustic reimagining, “Mirrors-Alternative Version,” the Swedish-American singer-songwriter Julia Logan invites listeners into an even more intimate and quietly devastating space. Dropped on the same day as a stripped-down version of “Moodswings,” this rework of one of Faraway Nearby’s highlights sees Logan stripping back her original production to achieve something that sounds ageless and enchantingly delicate.
The lush arrangements are gone, what remains is a stripped-down version of Logan’s songwriting at its most delicate. Her voice, warm and weathered, seems to hold the gravity of every lyric the way one has a deep, slow exhale. There’s something powerful in the stillness she extols, the kind that keeps you tight and won’t let go. If the “Mirrors” of the album version looked out, this one gazes in. Acoustic guitar patterns gently accompany Logan’s voice, leaving room for each phrase to hang in the air. It’s the kind of performance that doesn’t ask to be paid attention to but earns it just by making itself known. There’s a shake, a truth-telling of the kind that comes in the still hours just before dawn when everything seems a little too honest. Logan exposes the song’s introspective heart. It’s a bold decision and one that speaks volumes about the self-assurance of an artist who has never been afraid to make a statement by saying very little. Her acoustic take feels like a whispered secret, or like when you read an old letter and finally realize what it said in the first place.
This iteration of “Mirrors” is more than just a softer remix, it’s a new emotional chapter, a tender complement that adds depth to the story. Faraway Nearby fans will hear their hunger echoed here, and newcomers might find an artist who knows how to move the soul with only a few well-placed chords and a voice that cuts clean through the noise.
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