STYLE: Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 7701-7460 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: CD EP
Reviewed by Mike Rimmer
Bristol-based singer/songwriter Jo Roberts has teamed up with former Psionics drum’n’bass man Ben Lilford (now going under the moniker of Sonicflux) to create a truly creative four-track EP. The juxtaposition of Roberts’ acoustic guitar-driven catchy songs and the musical dressing that Sonicflux provides only makes the whole project more intriguing. The title cut is a straight forward pop melody with atmospheric loops and a poppy arrangement to give the listener a straight forward entrance into the EP. Then things get interesting! The gorgeous, almost worshipful “Still The Road” begins with a backwards sample of Roberts singing and playing before a groove kicks in and the rest of the song is built around that! Very clever! “TV (Nobody In Particular)” begins with samples from TV and then moves into its drifting melody and lyrics that remind the listener how much God knows about each of us. The final song “This Is For” is more closely built around Jo’s guitar and vocal than anything else on the EP and with its looped percussion backing, it actually feels a little David Grayish! Altogether this is a good effort marrying the best elements of Jo’s incisive singer/songwriting with creative production.
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I listened to this E.P recently again and was reminded how good the songs are musically but lyrically too.
Makes me feel good