Album Review: Charlene Soraia – Moonchild
4 min read
With the current music scene feeling pretty dire of late there is always the odd act that slips through the net and creates a buzz so intense that it brightens the dullness of the cloud tainted winter days. Charlene Soraia is such an act that has come along and pricked our ears up to the sound of her syrupy, husky vocals with a track that has taken the UK by storm and seen the singer achieve an impressive Top 3 debut single release. We first came across the singer when flicking casually through the TV channels and running into the latest advert for Twinings Tea as the singers debut single Wherever You Will Go was played as the adverts musical backdrop. The song instantly drew the nation in with its infectious hooks and beautifully textured tones and planted itself into our memories and when it was released at the end of September we showed our love for the debut by helping the record propel its way up the UK charts.
Introducing us to one of the countries newest musical additions we are about to be offered the musicians debut record in the form of the Moonchild which sees its release on Monday 21st November.
With a strong whistling and a seemingly reluctantly strum guitar welcoming in Soraia we are presented with the albums opening When We Were Five and the track pretty much sets the scene for the rest of the album as we are taken through a lengthy but impressive musical journey that breaks off mid way into a purely instrumental number. The track emphasizes the musicians ear to her craft and the overflowing use of instruments on the record within this extensive Moonchild intro.
Light Years puts to good use a beautiful string and subtle horn section and provides us with one of the tracks leading up-tempo additions equipped with a complimenting yet somewhat fleeting use of cello.
Further down the record the beat happy Bipolar is an inclusion with a hefty handful of witty lines that border on unsettling as Soraia sings her way through a catchy melody over some deep piano tinkering with lines such as “I’m Bipolar nobody knows it but me. I make the decisions and everybody see’s them but me. I think I’ll have a baby with a man who beats me, who abuses and confuses me and also threatens to kill me”. Confessional? We certainly hope not but the number is however a real treat on the record despite its melancholic context and chilling topic choice.
A song that really shows off the singers vocal style and techniques has to be the following Postcards From Io. Unleashing a slightly chav coated lyrically spitting the singers voice is both pitch perfect and sweetly sorrow laden as she rhymes her way through close to four minutes of delicate and sentimental storytelling.
Closing the record and acting as a bonus track to the collection, key number and the selling point to the record, Wherever You Will Go, ushers us to the end of Moonchild. Although a new track for Soraia the song is not a new penning. Originally a hit for US rock band The Calling back in late 2001 Wherever You Will Go proved to be the bands most successful recording. Now the track has repeated its original success but this time in the gentle hands of London singer songwriter Soraia who has made it her own replacing the whirling guitar riffs and heavy drum rolls with the singers signature laid back, affectionate approach giving the song an entirely new lease of life.
Moonchild is a fantastic introductory record for Charlene Soraia which, with a well chosen and already highly successful choice in debut single, will offer the UK music market a much needed injection of authentic and unquestionable talent with this incredible release.
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::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
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