Know Your Heart

Know Your Heart is a seminal 1982 album by the American folk-rock artist Arthur Russell, released under the label Upside Records. Emerging from the vibrant and eclectic downtown New York City art scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the album reflects Russell’s signature experimental approach, blending minimalist composition with traditional singer-songwriter sensibilities. It serves as a quintessential artifact of his prolific, yet during his lifetime, largely underground creative period, capturing a transition between his avant-garde cello compositions and his more pop-oriented arrangements.

The production of the album was characterized by Russell’s meticulous and often obsessive studio techniques, where he layered voice and instrumentation to create an intimate, ethereal soundscape. His work during this era was deeply informed by his collaborations with figures like Allen Ginsberg and his immersion in the experimental music circles of The Kitchen. While the album was not a commercial success at the time of its release, it has since been recognized by critics and fellow musicians as a foundational influence on modern indie-folk and electronic music, lauded for its vulnerability and structural ingenuity.