Psychedelic music by an Australian nun is an uncanny pleasure
First recorded 50 years ago, Sister Irene O’Connor’s album has now been reissued
It starts with an incantatory, haunting voice: “Fire, fire, burning, warming cold hearts…” The words are distant and echoing, as if they are coming from inside a dark cave or a cathedral. The vocalist is soon joined by a gently pulsing rhythm. The song, called “Fire”, is an enchanting piece of music. It sounds vaguely like some electronic pop that was made in the 1980s, yet it is actually the work of Sister Irene O’Connor, an Australian nun.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Sister act”
Culture April 29th 2023
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- Psychedelic music by an Australian nun is an uncanny pleasure
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