The Ground Above

by Beth Orton

The Ground Above cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 26 June 2026
  • Label: Partisan / Mushroom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 47:21
  • Community rating: 3.82/5 from 22 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Structured into a fragmented first half and an expansive second movement, the self-produced project enlists Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner to build a rich jazz-rock landscape. The compositions explore survival, identity, and maternal bonds through sprawling arrangements and soul-flecked rhythms.

Genres

Descriptors: atmospheric, existential, progressive, nature, delicate, female-vocals, electronic, acoustic, ambient, melodic

Tracklist

  1. The Ground Above (8:34)
  2. Before I Knew (6:21)
  3. Cigarette Curls (6:41)
  4. Waiting (4:38)
  5. Celestial Light (5:22)
  6. I'll Miss You (5:47)
  7. Love You Right (5:04)
  8. Otherside (4:50)

Credits

  • Beth Orton - primary artist, producer, composed by, vocals, electric piano [rhodes], electric piano [wurlitzer], piano, backing vocals
  • Oliver Deans - design
  • Leo Abrahams - engineer [vocal engineer], electric guitar [bridge solo]
  • Martin Krafft - lacquer cut by
  • Craig Silvey - mixed by
  • Kasia Wozniak - photography by
  • Cameron Craig - recorded by [recording engineer]
  • Mikko Gordon - recorded by [recording engineer]
  • Vishal Nayak - recorded by [recording engineer], drums
  • Shahzad Ismaily - bass, acoustic guitar, organ, bass, bass, synthesizer [juno], percussion [wooden frogs], flute, guitar [nylon guitar], percussion, synth
  • Grey McMurray - electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Okumu - electric guitar [backwards electric guitar], Electric Guitar
  • Sam Beste - piano, piano, synthesizer [synthex], piano, synthesizer [juno]
  • Christos Stylianides - trumpet
  • Oliver Kraus - composed by
  • Tom Herbert - double bass, bass, guitar [backward guitar bass solo]
  • Chris Vatalaro - drums
  • Adrian Utley - electric guitar [and paint brush], electric guitar [outro solo], acoustic guitar, Electric Guitar
  • Sam Amidon - fiddle
  • Mauro Refosco - congas, marimba [glass marimba]
  • Paul Butler - horns, woodwind, strings, arranged by [horn and string arrangements], horns, strings, arranged by [horn and string arrangements], backing vocals
  • Nick Hakim - vocals
  • Teeny Lieberson - backing vocals
  • Jesse Chandler - organ, flute
  • Ben Sloan - drums
  • Tom Skinner - drums

More from Beth Orton: full discography