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South X Lullaby: Valerie June

Valerie June's "Astral Plane" was already made to be a lullaby, a softly swaying, country-tinged soul song that scrapes the stratosphere. On the studio version from The Order Of Time, it's dipped in gauzy guitar and keys.

We've filmed both the songwriter Laura Marling and soul singer Timmy Thomas in the courtyard of St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas — it's become a favorite spot in the late hours during SXSW to seek sanctuary in a location just off the tumult. Against a wall of green vines and stringed lights, it's just June and an acoustic guitar, taking us to the stars in our dreams.

SET LIST

  • "Astral Plane"
  • Watch more South X Lullabies here.

    CREDITS

    Producers: Bob Boilen, Mito Habe-Evans; Director/Videographer: Nickolai Hammar; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Photo: Aaron Rogosin for NPR; Executive Producer: Anya Grundmann.

    Support for NPR Music comes from Blue Microphone.

    Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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