There is a certain connotation when an artist self-titles an album. As a debut, the self-title is merely a statement of introduction. When it’s several albums into a career it carries extra weight. Above all, it should stand as the purest representation of one’s artistic vision. It should be something that brands an artist. For Massachusetts songstress Marissa Nadler, it is somewhat of a liberation. Her eponymous release takes the form of her fifth album, and after previously bouncing around several small labels, it is the first to be self-released through her own Box of Cedar imprint. Adding a level of assurance, this comes fully funded by fans through Kickstarter and hocking CDs through an Etsy shop.

Nadler’s recipe has been pretty standard through the years. Lithe guitar strumming decorates her ghostly voice as she strings together haunting folk tales. Her last proper release in 2009, the spectacular Little Hells, found her building that sound a bit and adding more levels of instrumentation. Portal of Sorrow, last year’s farewell album from black metal band Xasthur, featured Nadler as a collaborator where she used nothing more than her vocal harmonies as a full on instrument. For Marissa Nadler, she has gone back to basics with a couple surprising moves sprinkled in.

“Alabaster Queen” is a classic Nadler song with its simple guitar cord that guides her solemn vocal lines. It’s moments like these that have the effect of a dream — pure beauty in the moment and leaving a mystifying air when over. Continuing her notoriety for creating characters in her work, Nadler checks in on one from several years back in “Mr. John Lee Revisited.”

Other tracks give the album some diversity. “Baby I Will Leave You In The Morning” is full of gloom and carried more by the quiet drums in the background. “The Sun Always Reminds Me of You” sounds about as country as its title does. The deep bass that supports “Puppet Master” helps it become the most grandiose song of the album. On this one, the familiar acoustic guitar elements shift tempo to gain momentum as it progresses. “Puppet Master” fully shows Nadler at her best with constant movement and a pop friendly chorus.

While not as progressive as Little Hells, Nadler does showcase the skills that helped build a following. The familiar elements of this album will please long time fans, while it’s more exploratory moments will give them something to look forward to. For a project funded by fans, it can be said that Nadler made this album for them — and as the eponymous title implies, this collection represents part of her. It’s the best way an artist can repay those who have supported her endeavors.