If you haven’t yet succumbed to Jenn Grant’s charms, Aqua Alta should do it. The Halifax singer/songwriter’s new project with Halifax Pop Explosion scene vet Charles Austin (Superfriendz, Lil Orton Hoggett, the Beginners, etc.) and producer Graeme Campbell (Buck 65, Jerry Granelli) is breathtaking in its gentle tone, spare emotionalism and inventive use of eclectic noises and electronics.
Grant’s expressive high vocals and melodies buoy Dreamsphere’s ethereal mood, and a persistent worried tone in her voice prevents all the softness from collapsing in on itself. She repeats phrases in an almost mantra-like, or even OCD fashion, similar to the way you rub worry beads over and over again to keep anxiety at bay.
Aqua Alta isn’t a left-field tangent for Grant, but the newfound minimalism and emphasis on electronics add a cooler-temperature edge to all the warmth and gorgeousness on offer. Near the end the album loses steam due to sluggish tempos and increased experimental minimalism. But that first half? Exquisite perfection.
Top track: Polar
