Patterns in Repeat explained

Patterns in Repeat is the eighth studio album by British singer-songwriter Laura Marling, released by Chrysalis Records and Partisan Records on 25 October 2024.^[1] Marling co-produced the album with Dom Monks. It was supported by three singles: "Patterns", "No One's Gonna Love You Like I Can" and "Child of Mine".

Background and recording

Patterns in Repeat was written after the birth of Laura Marling's daughter in 2023. The songs reflect on motherhood, ageing and the patterns that are passed down through family over generations.^[2] The album opens with the sound of a man and a woman talking, alongside a baby cooing.

It was recorded at Marling's home studio and at Bert Jansch Studio in London. Strings were recorded at Smilo Sound in Brooklyn, New York. Marling co-produced the album with Dom Monks.

Release

On 10 July 2024, Marling released the single "Patterns", her first solo release in four years. She simultaneously announced a pair of residencies at London's Hackney Church and New York's Bowery Ballroom, which would begin shortly following the album's release.^[3] The single "No One's Gonna Love You Like I Can" was released on 21 August 2024.^[4] A third single, "Child of Mine", was released on 24 September 2024.^[5] The album was released on 25 October 2024 by Chrysalis Records and Partisan Records.^[6]

Critical reception

Patterns in Repeat was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 from reviews from professional critics, the album received a score of 91, based on 15 reviews.

Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Everything about this album suggests someone at peace, from the tone of voice to the smoothness of sound and transparency of lyrics. It strikes me as Marling's least ambitious yet most satisfying album, as if she has stopped trying to write self-consciously great songs and yet they still arrive, smaller but perfectly formed." John Amen of No Depression noted that "Some listeners will miss the simmer and boil of earlier sets" but concluded that "Even if some of these tracks unfurl like a dream you soon forget, the sequence as a whole points to Marling's versatility, how her experiences feed her art, and how she's committed to embodying her one and fleeting life".

Year-end lists

Publication/critic! scope="col"

Accolade	Rank
Mojo	75 Best Albums of 2024	41	[7]
Rough Trade UK	Albums of the Year 2024	3	[8]
Uncut	80 Best Albums of 2024	45	[9]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[10]

• Laura Marling – lead vocals (1–5, 7–10), backing vocals (1–3, 5, 7–10), guitar (1–3, 5, 7–11), piano (1, 4), electric piano (3), Mellotron (1, 3, 6, 8), bass (2, 8), soft synths (6, 8), string machine (6), production, artwork
• Rob Moose – violin (1–3, 5, 7–11), viola (1–3, 5, 7–11), string arrangement (1–3, 5, 7–11), engineering
• Katt Newlon – cello (all tracks)
• Buck Meek – backing vocals (1)
• Maudie Marling – backing vocals (1, 9)
• Fred Wordsworth – horns (2)
• Harry Fausing Smith – violin (4, 10)
• Henry Rankin – viola, violin (4, 10)
• Dom Monks – synth bass (10), triangle (10), drum (10), cymbal (10), bouzouki (10), production, engineering, mixing
• Nick Pini – double bass (10)
• Matt Colton – mastering
• Tamsin Topolski – photography
• Rob Shuttleworth – design

Notes and References

1. Web site: Duran . Anagricel . 10 July 2024 . Laura Marling announces new album 'Patterns In Repeat' with tender single 'Patterns' . 26 October 2024 . . en-GB.
2. Web site: Amen . John . 25 October 2024 . ALBUM REVIEW: On 'Patterns in Repeat,' Laura Marling Finds Inspiration in Motherhood . 26 October 2024 . . en-US.
3. Web site: Moderelli . Rob . 10 July 2024 . Listen: Laura Marling Previews New Record 'Patterns in Repeat' With "Patterns" . 26 October 2024 . Relix Media . en-US.
4. Web site: Carter . Daisy . 21 August 2024 . Laura Marling is as intimate as ever on new single 'No One's Gonna Love You Like I Can' . 26 October 2024 . . en.
5. Web site: Breihan . Tom . 24 September 2024 . Laura Marling – "Child Of Mine" . 26 October 2024 . . en.
6. Web site: 25 October 2024 . 12 New Albums to Stream Today . 26 October 2024 . . en-US.
7. Web site: Mojo's 75 Best Albums of 2024 . Album of the Year . en-US . November 11, 2024 . November 13, 2024.
8. Web site: Albums of the Year 2024 . Rough Trade . en-GB . November 19, 2024 . November 20, 2024.
9. Web site: Pearis . Bill . November 8, 2024 . List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024 . BrooklynVegan . en-US . November 12, 2024.
10. Patterns in Repeat . . . 2024 . liner notes . BRV266.