Charlotte Church - One, Two & Three

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Another post I’ve been meaning to do for ages finally sees the light of day, a slightly different one today though featuring an artist you've doubtless heard of before but whose recent music you may not.

Charlotte Church, whose childhood “angelic” voice made her a household name around the world some fifteen years ago has gone through a re-birth over the past year or so and now sees herself fighting amongst a whole ocean of independent artists (granted, with a financial backing most artists can only dream of), so far 2013 has seen a series of EP releases (the next of which Three comes out later this month) with a tour to follow in September including a date at London's Scala (with support from the ridiculously amazing Golden Fable).

The results I've heard so far are quite extraordinary; Two includes the track which first caught my attention “Glitterbombed”, slowly building around pulsating electronic beats and throbbing bass to dramatic, emotive highs as Charlotte’s breathy vocals unleash their full power, a truly triumphant opener. The real gem of Two though is “Nerve”, with distorted vocals and an alluring dirty-synth base, Charlotte also delivers one of the most breathtaking vocal performances of the year, sending shivers all over with a sincere, stunning delivery that literally drips with raw emotion.

One equally rewards, where it’s less ethereal and synthetic it’s more haunting and beautiful, with a wide ranging styles from folk to alternative rock soundscapes. “How Not To Be Surprised When You’re A Ghost” is perhaps the stand-out, where restrained instrumentation and soft whispers beguile until finally exploding with thick guitars and driving percussion.

Her newest teaser “I Can Dream”, taken from Three highlights Charlotte’s creative growth perhaps better than anything she’s produced so far, a truly fascinating track that bridges multiple styles. "I Can Dream" begins its journey with throbbing bass-lines, crystalline vocals and glacial synths,  easing you into a bridge of furious electronic guitar before the track completely goes left-field and delivers this cataclysmic finale as all the genres and instruments combine to a bewildering yet incredible climax - I bloody love it.

You can buy all three EP's now via Charlotte's own label.