Sinkane - Mars
Artist: Sinkane
Album: Mars
Label: City Slang
OUT NOW
Rating: 3/5
Sinkane has really announced himself on the music scene in 2012 with the release of some singles and this week he is back with the release of his debut album Mars.
From the opening moments of the first track Runnin’ you know that you are going to get an album that is packed with different sounds and influences.
Sinkane was born in the Sudan but has lived in the U.S. for many years and you can really hear all of these influences in his music.
But he has not produced a sound that is so far out there that it is not radio friendly and that is evident from the very opening track.
Runnin’ is driven forward by the wah-wah of the guitar in what is an incredibly catchy and infectious track.
Jeeper Creeper is a pop/reggae sounding track and the opening eighty seconds of instrumental is fantastic.
This is a track were the vocal really does take a bit of a back seat as it is all about the instrumentation that is one the song - which is a mix of percussion and electric guitar.
When we do hear Sinkane’s vocal it is deep and very different to what we heard on the opening track - it almost has a mesmerising quality to it.
Jeeper Creeper is one of the most atmospheric songs on the album not to mention one of the best.
Lady, C’mon is one of the most produced tracks on the album as Sinkane’s vocal has been treated heavily - and it is a sound that doesn’t really work for him.
His vocal sounds much better when it is natural as it fits well with the laid back and chilled feel that the instrumentation gives and this messing around with the sound of his voice really is not great.
The vocal distortion is one again evident in Making Time and it is not as heavy as on the previous track and so works a little better. Making Time sees the pace pick up and the electric guitar solo in the middle of the song is fantastic.
Mars is an album that sees Sinkane experiment with a range of sounds and techniques and it is almost as if he is not sure what sound is best for his voice.
All of the backing tracks/instrumentation on this album is simply wonderful as there is such an eclectic mix of sounds but some of the tracks are spoilt by the electronica effects that are put on the vocal.
Sinkane is a musician that clearly understand how powerful instruments can be on a track and he has used them so well on this record. If he had just let him vocal be free and natural this album would be truly top notch.
Sinkane - Mars is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw