Listen: Taylor Swift's "exile" ft. Bon Iver

In many ways, Taylor Swift's surprise new release folklore represents a return to her early country roots. There's a sense of unshowy quietude — almost reminiscent of boygenius — an effortless velvetiness that throws her recent pop-leaning efforts out of the window, trading it for a subdued indie-folk sound that builds on an exquisite mix of pianos and swaying guitar work. The earthy production complements the soft, wistful tunes, letting her vocals take centre-stage, while also presenting an uninhibited side to the singer's carefully cultivated persona. It's easily Swift's most coherent record to date (my tears ricochet, epiphany august, mirrorball, seven, and this is me trying are dreamlike), creating and sustaining a mood that's at once pretty, minimalist and experimental. But everything comes together so well in exile featuring Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, one of the brightest highlights that unites their voices for a heartbreak ballad while luminous harmonies anchor the song and fracture it into further radiant beams. Elegant and enchantingly warm, folklore is an intoxicating slow-burn and delightfully askew.