efn Reviews

What do you get when a singer better known for trio-hop discovers something called nu-folk? The answer, obviously, is this CD

The record label's press release describes this as “a haunting tapestry of powerful, modern madrigals”. I am not sure that I would go that far but this is a beautifully crafted recording.

I don't recognise the names of any of the backing musicians but it is a very strong line up including keyboards, violins, viola, cello, flue, cor anglais and oboe as well as the obligatory guitar. Not all at once, I hasten to add

The music itself is light, relaxed and, yes, haunting. Ali's voice is an acquired taste and I must confess to a certain antipathy on the first hearing. Her style is rather breathy and she does not seem to have a wide range, much being more spoken than sung but as a counterpoint to the instrumentation it works very well.

The CD itself came in a cardboard slip case without sleeve notes and it wasn't clear if this is how it is packaged for sale.