Kelly Moran Is an Unabashed Electro-Acoustic ‘Optimist’

Kelly Moran is no stranger to the New York underground. In addition to having strummed the bass for acclaimed no-wave outfit Cellular Chaos, the Gotham-based multi-instrumentalist — who holds two degrees in music composition — has played keyboards in Voice Coils. As expected for an artist raised on DIY, she's profoundly self-sufficient, composing and producing neoclassical, improv-driven music in her spare time.

Four years after 2012's live album One on One, Moran has returned with Optimist, her latest solo effort. Recorded, produced and performed by the artist herself, the LP accomplishes the rare feat of making the work of a single individual sound like the artistic output of a veritable creative army, all intricately arranged piano, synth and FX. It's a stunning electro-acoustic achievement — one that, sadly, will be overlooked by many amidst the year-end wrap-up madness. That's exactly why we're pointing you in its direction. Listen below.

Kelly Moran's self-produced Optimist LP is available now via her Bandcamp.