Yael Naim
Sunday, October 7th, 2007 by Julijapop folk // soft r&b
When Paris-born, Israeli-raised Yael Naim met David Donatien, a West Indian drummer, the two sat down to share their rich musical experiences. Combining Yael’s classical education and love of pop and jazz, this collaboration lead into recording 13 beautifully arranged compositions, mostly sung in Hebrew, with instrumentation of piano, guitar, cello, bass and percussion. While the mood ranges from melancholic to sweeter and hopeful notes, she carries intimate feeling throughout her songs.Never-fading optimism that leaves you smiling and humming along.
Yael Naim – New Soul
Yael Naim – Pachad
UPDATE 01/16/2008: “New Soul” is featured in Apple’s ad for the Macbook Air (thx, zelnox!)
buy this cd
Influenced by such French chanson classics as Serge Gainsbourg, the melancholic vein of American music idols, such as Tom Waits and Bob Dylan, and inventive Andrew Bird’s compositions, Emily Loizeau carefully crafts her tuneful melodies. Charming with her sincere joyfulness and wit, piano-playing singer and composer, Emily brings so much warmth and quirky freshness to nouvelle scène française. The playfulness of her debut album
The charming debut of former
While I can appreciate any artist who can adeptly play and loop the harmonica, guitar and bells for a single song, and often incorporates the banjo, ukulele and even kazoo in her live show; part of me would expect this instrumental overkill to hide a less-than-stellar voice. But not Priscilla. Her voice can only be described as ethereal, and carries a sense of hope and innocence in songs whose lyrics aren’t always so untarnished. This, plus the hint of vulnerability in her music, makes you want to hold your breath and bask in her subtle storytelling. Close your eyes and have a listen.
A former model expanding her work into music or cinema is not surprising. However, it is rare and surprising when she does it so good, and does it in such a fun way. With her debut album Ukuyéyé (2006), Mareva Galanter, once Miss Tahiti and Miss France, delivers a collection of mostly catchy pop-rock songs from the 60’s. Her coquettish charm and ukulele manage to give it fresh sound and a lovely feeling to it.
While I enjoy friends that are predictable, I prefer my music to surprise me. A heavy dose of dynamic songwriting will surely snag my attention, so when E&TC’s track “Momma’s Boy” slips from folk to Jon Brion pop to vaudeville and back, I can’t help but crack a smile. With an instrumentation including cello, viola, flugelhorn, bass, violins, and trumpets along with songs like “Waiting For The Kill”, Elizabeth et al. feel like America’s extroverted answer to
Swedish duo Ola Frick and Carina Johansson have been making dreamy, sophisticated pop for the better part of a decade. Hearing their latest album, a mix of lush orchestral swells, twinkling piano, and endearing guitar riffs, is not unlike seeing a rainbow. Bright and sweeping, it’s the sort of music you’d put on the playlist while drinking strawberry lemonade under the summer sun. And yet the lyrics, too, are worth more than a passing glance: warm and pensive, they make a fine counterpoint to the sweet melodies and often cover darker, more daring ground. Perhaps that lemonade could do with a touch of liquor. 
Sophie Michalitsianos was born in England, studied contemporary composition and orchestration in Sydney, Australia, and currently is New York based singer-songwriter, a professional pianist and cellist. Her debut as Sol Seppy, The Bells Of 1 2 (2006), embodies gentle and dreamy folkly melodies, Goldfrapp-ish electro-pop tendencies, fuzzy electronic beats and gorgeous vocals. Sophie’s music varies from simple to odd and complex tunes, yet never overly eclectic.