Abi Reimold has a way of making great things extra special. When they asked us about capturing their cover of Andy Shauf‘s “I’m Not Falling Asleep,” we were more than excited to see how they would transform the consuming lullaby. Their version builds just as warmly but with fewer components, creating a recognizable sense of isolation felt more intimately than in the original. It has a starkness to it that accurately embodies the struggle of an interminably sleepless state while still showcasing the raw beauty of Abi’s voice and arrangement.
We were lucky enough to be able to film this session at The Nativist: an impeccably stylish bed and breakfast in Philadelphia where retro finishings meet breathable, open space. It’s a place so inviting that it almost seems like a dream. On the longest day of the year, we filmed at both sunrise and sunset. The ivy-grazed windows mirrored in the video really soak in the warm glow of the morning on the left and the cool gleam of evening on the right. Keeping in theme with the song, the video matches the dull illumination of some of the hardest times to sleep. Bob Sweeney tiptoed barefoot across the empty wooden floors to film Abi in smooth, sweeping pans while Jake Detwiler recorded the audio from atop the adjacent room’s latrine. As always, they are a brilliant team who make our sessions shine.
Abi was the first artist we ever filmed a session with way out in the woods. You can see the two videos from that session here and here. Abi will be playing Union Transfer on August 11th for The Districts record release show along with the spirit of the beehive. Grab tickets here.
Andy Shauf’s original version of “I’m Not Falling Asleep”:
