Kimbra - The Golden Echo Album Review
I have been listening, not watching video’s or reading interviews, just listening, and enjoying very much Kimbra's new album The Golden Echo, it's a broad aural explosion, so bear with me as I rundown my impressions of each track.
Track 1. Teen Heart, opens with its steady beat blending nicely with a suave synth and vocal harmony, and then we hear the gorgeous Kimbra, and you instantly feel fortunate for the sound of her voice. Her sound is so tempting you feel the silky clarity of her vocals and all else becomes secondary. The peaceful verses are dramatically uplifted with a theatrical chorus, a popular formula for most of the album.
Track 2. 90’s Music, the surprising first track to get thrown into to publicity machine with a glittery video, I guess they were looking to show a different side of the album, whereas the rest of the album has a more RnB musical character and strength. 90’s Music has an industrious techno rhythm but it’s not a dancing tune, we are however lifted from its tribal chants with a gloriously uplifting and harmonious chorus.
Track 3. Carolina, is my personal favourite, it’s broad and bright, a multi-layered composition with soaring harmonies and a wonderful African “the lion sleep tonight” style backing vocal humming.
Track 4. Gold Mine, like 90’s music has an industrial techno beat, but with a more subtle vocal melody in its verses and the group sung chorus is salient.
Track 5. Miracle, is a disco inspired highlight, a very danceable funky bass and drum riff with cool keys and a hip dance jive, a joyous sound.
Track 6. Rescue Him, a tempered track with delicate synth beats, it builds nicely with abundant vocal styles.
Track 7. Mad House, very funky, full of great synth and a driving beat that keeps it energetically driving on its hip journey.
Track 8. Be Everlovin Ya, (feat Bilal), a unique harpsichord intro leads to a foreboding Prince sounding song with chilling strings and grinding bass synth fills, the vocal pairing with Bilal is a great blend.
Track 9. As You Are,cool piano and strings compliment this silky symphonic ballad, with lavishly layered vocal harmonies competing and complementing the string arrangements.
Track 10. Love in High Places, a another wonderful vocal work from Kimbra, an atmospheric journey with some very funky surges of bass and synth.
Track 11. Nobody but you, is an uplifting up-tempo tune with sweet harmonies and a great funky chorus, which constructs to an extra funky finish.
Track 12. Waltz me to the grave, a brilliant Kimbra tune with expansive soulful vocals, the rhythm challenges and changes until it builds and marches you military style to be released to its soft distant atmospheric end.
In summary The Golden Echo is more than worthy of your ears, and will be reverberating repeatedly on my devices.View Track Listing
About Kimbra
Having already received two NZ On Air grants and Second place in the Smokefree Rockquest 2004 along with Best Vocals and Womens Musicianship, music got its A into G from there. After 3 consecutive years in Rockquest (two of which were at the National Finals and gaining over $7000 in total from the generous competition) Kimbra created a slick live performance which was priceless along with many lifelong friendships. Grateful to Rockquest, live performance has been Kimbra's aid and footstep into success with music. The competition trained her to perform with the state of mind like that of a band and attempt to provide rhythm, melody and the dynamics of a full band that separates her performance from other solo artists.
Kimbras' first single was recorded at the infamous York St Studios with Welsh producer Greg Haver (who has worked with artists/ bands all over the world, including Manic Street Preachers, Lost Prophets, Carly Binding, 48May, Falter and The Checks). Deep For You was then funded for a Video which gained play on nationwide radio and C4.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Kimbra
Releases
Other Reviews By Andrew Smit
EJ Barrett - EP Review: Call Me EJ
17 Feb 2021 // by Andrew Smit
EJ Barrett creates a very fresh and vibrant sound thanks mostly to the organically produced backing loops of breaths and whispers, creating a very emotive ambiance, EJ’s voice and style are comparative to other Kiwi artists like Lorde and Gin Wigmore, but is also quite worldly like Adele and Enya. The backing loops that EJ performs provide a unique kind if organic beat that is full of soulful expression.
Read More...
Phil Stoodley - Single Review: Long Way from Home
26 Sep 2019 // by Andrew Smit
New Zealand singer-songwriter Phil Stoodley is a travelling Kiwi musician of some note and he has created a most beautiful song and video clip for his new single Long Way From Home, which shows off his singing and song writing skill spectacularly. The track sounds so good, the recording is impressively immaculate yet still warm and full of character.
Read More...
Jam Henderson - Single Review: Rainbow
10 Sep 2019 // by Andrew Smit
Rainbow is a cool little track with a nice funky vibe, the pace is urged along by a bright sparkly guitar that produces a nice upbeat feel. The guitar delivers a splash of spritely sound that provides a nice contrast to the laid-back tuneful vocals that flow effortlessly through the track.
Read More...
Sonic Delusion - Album Review: Anything Goes
11 Jun 2019 // by Andrew Smit
What a wonderfully positive experience it was to review Sonic Delusion's new album Anything Goes. 10 tracks of splendidly good tunes that make you feel good, with catchy grooves and upbeat rhythms, the music is best described as a kind of funky folk pop but with extra fizz, and sparkle, that is so easy to enjoy.
Read More...
Kingsland - Single Review: The Motto
30 Apr 2019 // by Andrew Smit
A very groovy pop rock sound is the first thing that strikes you when listening to Kingsland’s latest single The Motto. Driven by a very upbeat vibe that seizes you wholeheartedly, this tuneful track is packed with chunky guitar licks that are wonderfully bluesy and soulful.
Read More...
Eyreton Hall - Single Review: Weekend
26 Mar 2019 // by Andrew Smit
Another smooth and gratifying song by Eyreton Hall, that soothes the senses with its easy flowing style and melodic grace. With steady rhythmic folk music that rolls along so sweetly and is sprinkled with lovely colour spurts dispensed by a flirting electric guitar and keyboards.
Read More...
Etheran - Single Review: Let Me Go
12 Feb 2019 // by Andrew Smit
Opening with a formidable power riff this debut track from Christchurch based Etheran really grabs you by the throat, and it's a track that has many shades. The strong melodic verses that are sung by the clean voice of lead singer Lita Macabeo is smooth and wholesome, whereas the chorus sections burst with scolding vocals and a burst of drums that lifts the power and emotion with great intensity.
Read More...
fleaBITE - Album Review: Bite Me
04 Dec 2018 // by Andrew Smit
Finally, there is a children’s album that you can chomp into with glee, fleaBITE are the band and Bite Me is the album, and it's full of surprises, where every song is like a bursting musical festival. As a father of two young ones I have had many hours listening to albums full of standard nursery rhyming fair that after a couple of repeats would start to affect your sanity.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- DRIVERS LICENSE
Olivia Rodrigo - WHY OH WHY
L.A.B. - CALLING MY PHONE
Lil Tjay feat. 6LACK - HEAT WAVES
Glass Animals - GOOD DAYS
SZA - NOT MY NEIGHBOUR
Niko Walters - CONTROLLER
L.A.B. - IN THE AIR
L.A.B. - LEVITATING
Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby - WITHOUT YOU
The Kid LAROI
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
