Sarah Fimm - White Birds EP (2008)

I really like female vocalists. Besides the fact that they often embellish the aesthetics offside the musical terrain (aka being cute), their voices are usually able to give songs their distinct sound, to lead the song in the intended direction by capturing its validity in beautiful melodies and soothing harmonies. Sarah Fimm embodies exactly that ideal for me, and with the free christmas gift that was and still is White Birds, she gives you the opportunity to decide if she does it for you too.

First, think of the singer-songwriter qualities of the likes of Sarah MacLachlan or Tori Amos getting accompanied by Portishead-ish trip hop nuances to get a rough idea what this will sound like. Still attentive? Then remember what I told you in terms of a great female vocalist and keep it in mind while you enter the first song of the EP, "Counting Waves", likewise the preview track.

You see the song is fully carried by Fimms touching voice while the unobtrusive instrumentation lays down a solid musically backbone but never sparkles. The trip hop influence firstly shines in the second track "Let it Run" and marks with its gloomy atmosphere and distorted sounds an impressive one-eighty compared to the subtle and stripped-down tone of "Counting Waves". It happens to be that even such distinct shifts soundwise can't take off the focus from the addicting voice of Sarah, what is in fact a good indication of her ability to envelop the listener with perfect intonation and emotionally versatility. Whether it is the prominent use of electronics in "Tamara", the soaring soundscape of "White Birds" or the haunting piano tone in "Fly", the remarkably varied input of different instruments and devices never gets behind its supporting role but manages it to accomplish the songs flawlessly.

Mastering the narrow burr that is this compromise between an absorbing vocal delivery and a subsidiary instrumental performance, White Birds displays an enjoyable piece of female fronted relaxing music that is as diverse in its atmospheric environment as it is cohesive in the sense of being a collection of captivating and soulful songs.

Tracklist:
01 - Counting Waves
02 - Let It Run
03 - Tamara Song
04 - Afraid
05 - Fly
06 - White Birds

Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Trip Hop, Electronica
(27:50)
192 kBit/s

Preview:


Homepage
Myspace
LastFM
Download

PW: postrockcommunity.blogspot.com