Brighton-based singer/songwriter Moya released her debut album on July 9th and it’s a stunning first effort.
The first track ‘Lost and Found’ is a dreamy start, Moya’s voice dances above a heartbeat of drums, her voice child-like and gentle. It’s a standard love song on paper, but the song has an unusual pensive quality to it that makes it intriguing to listen to. The next track ‘Making Me Fall’ is catchy radio-pop with a jaunty piano, and the piano-led ‘Technicolour’ is a gentle wispy breath of a song, with simple yet evocative rhymes like "I’m feeling fine, amongst the clouds I’m divine…"
‘Telling Tales’ is a great choice for first single. The track is snappy, like a grown-up Lily Allen song. It begins with rapid-fire vocals, and during the chorus Moya’s gentle voice sounds like it might break, as it’s stretched taut across the high points like a strand of silk. ‘Morning Rain’ has a slight Lily Allen vibe too; it’s soft and summery with lightly-strummed guitars.
‘Alibi’ showcases Moya’s gorgeous voice, the piano punctuating the song softly, shyly. You can imagine Moya stood in a loud, smoky bar, singing to create atmosphere, as people neglect their drinks and avoid conversation because they just want to stand and listen.
The shy piano is a recurring theme on this album, on each track the instruments are so unobtrusive you almost forget they’re there. The spotlight is rightfully on Moya’s voice, which is the only instrument you really want to hear. The album is an exercise in simplicity. The lyrics are unpretentious yet evocative, and Moya’s voice is technically spotless, but she never slips into showboating; she lets her voice find its own way, which is a very mature quality in someone so young. Moya’s songwriting is accomplished, and she can drift from the prettiest of pop to the most introspective of ballads with clean, breezy simplicity.
This is a beautiful debut from a young and talented artist, the songs are feminine, evocative, wistful and unaffected. Perfect for a rainy summer.
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The first track ‘Lost and Found’ is a dreamy start, Moya’s voice dances above a heartbeat of drums, her voice child-like and gentle. It’s a standard love song on paper, but the song has an unusual pensive quality to it that makes it intriguing to listen to. The next track ‘Making Me Fall’ is catchy radio-pop with a jaunty piano, and the piano-led ‘Technicolour’ is a gentle wispy breath of a song, with simple yet evocative rhymes like "I’m feeling fine, amongst the clouds I’m divine…"
