Abi Reimold debuts a new song, “Workshop,” in her Little Elephant session

Watching Philly’s Abi Reimold perform can mean any number of things — a subdued solo electric show, perhaps, or a raucous full band rock show. Or, her preferred touring method of late: solo electric with looper. It’s a craft she’s been perfecting for the past several years, allowing her to balance the best elements of both worlds in a portable setup, and it shines in a recent appearance on Toledo, Ohio’s Little Elephant sessions, which is quickly becoming the internet’s premiere studio sessions series for DIY artists on the road.

Released today, the session includes performances of two songs from Reimold’s outstanding 2016 LP Wriggling – one of  The Key’s best albums of 2016. Aided by a floor tom, her pedal setup and her voice, “Won’t Clot” opens the set tremendously, establishing a pattern that builds and flourishes with beats and voices. “Feed” is incredible and intense on the solo electric tip, with Reimold’s powerful vocal delivery giving way to a dissolving choir of harmonies.

But the treat is a new jam called “Workshop,” which is the poppiest of the bunch. An Elliott Smith style ruminative chord progression moves at a brisk toe-tapping pace as lead licks are layered and Reimold seems to lyrically confront an inscrutable muse: “Wake in the morning to pay you my due / find some idle work for these hands to do.” When the standing drum comes into play in the song’s final third, all bets are off — this new jam might be named for a creative testing ground, but it’ll have you on your feet.

Watch the entire session below, and catch Reimold live on Saturday, February 25th when she plays a benefit for The Trevor Project at Johnny Brenda’s with Mannequin Pussy and King Azaz; tickets and more information on the show can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar.