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Claudia Robin Gunn - Album Review: Sing For The Sea

18 Oct 2022 // A review by Corinne Rutherford

Auckland songwriter Claudia Gunn has recently released her latest family friendly album Sing For The Sea (Little Wild Ocean Friends). A robust 24 tracks of delightful marine themed songs.


Claudia, who previously performed in nightclubs with her EDM band Substax, has switched tracks musically to creating entrancing children’s songs which convey youthful innocence, capturing a sense of wonder and curiosity, delivering a soft and comforting soundscape that kids and adults alike will fall in love with.


Her storytelling on this album is inspired by the natural wonders of the sea, gloriously pulling together “the starry-eyed wonder mixed with just a bit of Mom rocker chick”.

Claudia has a mellow and tender indie-folk (previously described as Kindie-folk) sound on Sing For The Sea, there is a diverse range of genres which flow easily on the album.

To write music for children successfully, you must be a captivating storyteller. Claudia Gunn is certainly that.

There are so many tracks on Sing For The Sea that I loved; however I will elaborate on my absolute favourites as this is an impressive collection.

Starting with the incredibly catchy Glow In The Dark Shark, this is song which gets stuck in your head and I found myself humming to more than once. I am singing it to myself as I write this, such a happy song in a big line up of cheerful tracks.

Claudia channels Karen Carpenter on Mermaid Parade, not only vocally but also in sound. Calling All Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft sprang to mind.

Each song is a lesson and Whale Shark is no exception, a beautiful track about a whale shark (a whale shark is not a whale, it’s a shark). I heard a hint of electronica keyboards and a soft pop sound.

The tale of Inky The Octopus is gloriously heart-warming, a tale that tugs at the heart strings about an octopus in an aquarium plotting his escape. As happy as he was, he wanted to be free. There is something immensely appealing about a successful escape artist octopus.

Sea Sponge Land is wonderfully descriptive, I could visualize the land of sea sponges and it is a beautiful place.

The final track I will expand on should touch everyone’s hearts old and young alike. We Are All Waves is storytelling at its finest accompanied by a reggae beat “we are all waves, we all feel the weight”. This was my favourite of the favourites, powerful when you take the time to sit and really listen.

There is so much to love about this album. The harmony, the innocence, the enchanting and poetic stories, the soft gentle delivery, and gentle sound not only makes it an album for slumber, but also a backing track for us to slow down to and think about the world around us.

This is a musical project which “aspired to create a tangible and approachable context that emphasises human agency, and potential for positive change”. Recorded with multi-instrumentalist and producer Tom Fox at The Sound Room, featuring Nick Connor on trumpet in We Are All Waves, album art illustrated by Elise De Silva. All songs written and composed by Claudia Robin Gunn. Created with funding from Creative New Zealand.

Sing For The Sea is truly an enlightening celebration of the ocean.

Rating: ( 5 / 5 )
 

About Claudia Robin Gunn

Claudia Robin Gunn’s kids folk music captures the golden essence of childhood. Twice awarded APRA's children's song of the year award, she loves to support families with music that offers delights and surprises for both parents and the kids they love. Her independent label is Little Wild Music.

Claudia is a songwriter with electronic act Substax, a long term collaboration with fellow artist and producer Nick Farrands.

Claudia is a member of the Recording Academy and Children's Music Network in the USA and APRA Amcos NZ, Music Manager's Forum, Independent Music NZ and Kiwi Kids Music in New Zealand.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Claudia Robin Gunn

Releases

Firefly
Year: 2023
Type: Album
Little Wild Christmas Volume 2
Year: 2021
Type: Album
Little, Wild and Spooky
Year: 2021
Type: EP
Little Wild Universe
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Little Wild Christmas
Year: 2019
Type: Album
Little Wild Lullabies
Year: 2016
Type: Album

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