lingua franca

Lingua Franca - The EP

Oct 12, 2008

3 rated

Flashlight Rating - 3/5

Average

This is the debut release from a collaboration between producer Ghost and singer Devorah and I have to say that it's frustrating, to be honest. The beats are on the funk, jazz and soul side of things and clearly bear the marks of a more than competent hand at the tiller. The first track, 'Falling Back To Her', is DJ Shadow-esque with its double bass and cymbal-heavy jazz feel. Things then get lighter and funkier on 'Feels So Good', which is a real head-nodder with a great horn accompaniment over the chorus. The EP is then rounded off by 'Treat Tonight', which is the standout track, as things slow down and sweeten up for a late-night smoker of a tune.

So far, so good then. However, there is a quite significant downside - and that's the vocals of Devorah. Don't get me wrong, she's technically fine. It's all just a bit too Alice Russell-lite, though; a big, but bland delivery that suggests a bedroom belter got lucky. These tunes need a bit more subtlety than Devorah's constantly plaintive intonation that quickly becomes whiney and irritating. Ghost is nearly there, but his tunes are undermined by a singer who can't do them justice. One to watch, but not one to buy just yet.

Oxton Soul Boy

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