Birdy 'Portraits' album x menu pairing recommendations.

Birdy has just released her new album 'Portraits' - marking her fifth studio album. The album features the singles, 'Raincatchers', 'Heartbreaker', 'Your Arms' and 'Paradise Calling', and is particularly inspired by the likes of Patti Smith, The Eurythmics, and ‘80s goth and new wave.

To celebrate the release of the record, we've created an album pairing list for things you can cook/watch/smell and read while you stream the album... 

On the story behind the album, Birdy shares: “The record is called ‘Portraits’ because I’ve captured different moments in life and examined how I’ve felt about them over the past year and how my feelings have changed. A lot of it is about relationships and some of it is me painting pictures from other people’s perspectives and writing through them. A lot of the time I’ve written about things before they’ve happened to me, which sounds really witchy and weird. I don’t know if I write it and the situation manifests because I’ve written it, or if I somehow subconsciously know what’s going to happen.”

Recipe Pairing
Raindrop cake while you listen to 'Raincatchers'.

Ingredients:
5 g agar-agar powder 
3 tablespoon kinako powder 
3 tablespoon kuromitsu
350 ml mineral water

Instructions:
#1. Add the agar-agar powder and water into a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat. Once the water comes to a boil, continue simmering in low heat until the agar-agar powder dissolves completely into the water. This will take about five minutes.
#2. Pour the mixture into the mould. Place it in the fridge and let it chill and set for at least 1-2 hours.
#3. Once it is set, remove it from the mould and serve your Japanese raindrop cake with a sprinkle of kinako powder and a drizzle of kuromitsu.

Movie Pairing 
'Portrait Of A Lady On Fire' directed by Céline Sciamma.

Scent Pairing
D.S. & Durga 'Big Sur After Rain'.

Book Pairing
'Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow' by Gabrielle Zevin.

"When Sam catches sight of Sadie at a crowded train station one winter morning he is catapulted back to the brief time they spent playing together as children. Their unique spark is instantly reignited. What comes next is a story of friendship and rivalry, fame and creativity, betrayal and tragedy, perfect worlds and imperfect ones. And, ultimately, our need to connect- to be loved and to love."

Birdy's new album 'Portraits' is out now - listen below: