Album review: Laura Mvula - Sing to the Moon

WITH a classically clipped delivery and glorious vocal tone, Mvula is a ready-made musical thoroughbred, and no mere pop upstart.

Laura Mvula - Sing To The Moon

RCA, £9.99

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She is unlikely to embrace modern parlance about chillaxing, having been too busy honing her craft and technique.

The harmonies are exhilarating and, in the case of Is There Anybody Out There?, rather intoxicating, with posturing in the style of Dame Shirley Bassey. Another vocal comparison to make is a British vocalist who shares her Birmingham heritage, Joan Armatrading.

Mvula is perhaps more straight down the line by comparison, not having the same octave-spanning dynamic which could add extra dimension to an already impressive product. And there could be more emotionally engaging moments, rather than the excessive naval-gazing that blights Father, Father, which might have benefitted from the direct emotional honesty expressed in Can’t Live With The World.

As a result, her album mostly has the air of an exercise in technical excellence, with little in the way of raw emotion. Exceptions to that rule, such as She and That’s Alright, hint at even greater potential, and she is clearly here for the long haul.

Download this: Green Garden, Is There Anybody Out There?