It's very rare to find an artist whose voice and lyrics send chills down your spine, but such is the case with Imogen Heap on her second album Speak for Yourself.
Heap has spent much of her musical career in London, starting out playing classical European piano. It wasn't until she went to boarding school in her early teens that she realized she wanted to make music for a living. There, she decided against becoming a classical pianist and decided to become a rock, electronic and pop musician all in one.
In 1997, Heap's aspirations came true when she signed with Almo Sounds and released her first solo album titled I Megaphone. On the album, Heap worked with several producers including Guy Sigsworth, a man most notable for his work with Madonna. After the album was released, the two continued to work closely together on a new part-time project and a new group named Frou Frou. After the release of their first album, Details, Heap left Sigsworth to work full-time on producing a solo album.
The new album, Speak for Yourself, released on Nov. 1, is unlike any of her previous work. Heap knows how to create powerful emotions with her voice. What's more, she combines symphonic instrumentals like violin, piano and xylophone with drums, backbeats and her stunning vocals for a truly great listening experience.
The track "The Walk" opens with the xylophone, subtle backbeats and the gentle sound of a breeze blowing, reminding listeners of the beach. Her voice is soft, melancholy and infused with emotion. The song's chorus brings the whole song to a climax with her voice, the drums and a melodic violin dynamically combining. As she sings "It's not meant to be like this / not what I planned at all / I don't want to feel like this," Heap's voice carries an inner strength, undoubtedly used to fight through the troubled times she sings about. The song documents a fateful night when she gave into temptation and now wishes she hadn't due to the hurt she feels. Her voice shows the full force of her emotion and the instruments add to the song's strong emotive nature.
Another song, "Headlock," features the melodic chime of the xylophone combined with the musician's superb vocals. Later, the track layers two different pitches of the xylophone together to create a sense of symphonic rock. Heap's voice is deep, but strong and finely tuned showing that she has true rhythmic sense as well as good control over her vocal chords. As she sings the chorus "You say too late to start got your heart in a headlock / I don't believe any of it / you say too late to start with your heart in a headlock / you know you're better than this," instrumentals and vocals are layered to create an encompassing sound that grabs listeners and keeps them locked in.
Perhaps the most well-known and haunting song of the album, "Hide and Seek," was featured in the emotional season-two finale of "The OC." The song is spine tingling because it features Heap's voice electronically layered, creating a poignant melody. Her voice resonates throughout the song and leaves listeners in awe of the true emotive power the song possesses. When she sings, "Spin me round again and rub my eyes / this can't be happening" the force of her voice picks up and so does the pitch, showing just how meaningful this song truly is.
The album conveys so much, both through Heap's vocals and the music behind them. The lyrics add more intrigue and expressive energy to the album's unforgettable tracks. Heap has the ability, through the combination of lyrics and melodies, to create a powerful emotional experience. Her sophomore release is an album not to be ignored.
Grade: A
