Under Cover
New Cat, 2021
8/10
A composer, producer and singer from London, though Esbe might have roots in classical music, this covers album shows just how diverse she is, which includes altering each tune in her own inimitable vision.
The Lennon and McCartney tune, “Yesterday”, starts the listen with much warmth amid breathy singing in the gentle climate that near the middle brings in electro-pop ideas, and “A Taste Of Honey” follows with Eastern influences into the eloquent and powerful singing that’s as dreamy as it is memorable.
In the middle, “Night And Day” flows with an orchestral quality to the haunting landscape, while “The Sound Of Silence” brings in subtle but effective percussive sounds to the stirring delivery. “Eleanor Rigby” then makes great use of strings in its hazy and adventurous presence.
Near to the end, the cinematic demeanor of “Summertime” brings both tense and sophistication to the album highlight, and “Silent Knight” exits the listen with a spellbinding version of the traditional where Esbe puts a spacey twist on it that in other hands might be a fumbling mess, but just adds intrigue in her capable skill set.
Under Cover represents songs that inspire Esbe, and the jazz, orchestral, folk, artistic and sampled tweaks she uses to transform them makes for a fun, heartfelt and unexpected listen that you’ll want to revisit over and over.
Travels well with: Diane Moser- Birdsongs; Dana Sipos- The Astral Plane