Ioanna Gika - Thalassa
Roseate, is undoubtedly the strongest track of the entire album, a powerful mission statement that begins with harp and ethereal vocals and builds to a surging conclusion, complete with pounding drum machine, synth and strings.
American songwriter Ioanna Gika takes Thalassa, the primeval spirit of the sea, as a fulcrum upon which to balance this sojournic debut collection. Adopting stark but elegant vocalising, and an almost baroque feel to her arrangements, Gika leads us on a journey of discovery that stems from a real-life post-bereavement visit to her Hellenic homeland.
Opener, Roseate, is undoubtedly the strongest track of the entire album, a powerful mission statement that begins with harp and ethereal vocals and builds to a surging conclusion, complete with pounding drum machine, synth and strings.
The following nine tracks preserve the elements as recurrent themes, providing conduits for change and illustrating the driving forces present within relationships, and the memories that survive them. Set amidst an emotional landscape of pain and uncertainty, Thalassa charts this voyage of exploration, only for Drifting, the final track of the album, to conclude in the torment of the unknown.
This fusion of Greek influences and haunting atmospheres remind of Vangelis' early days with Aphrodite's Child. There are also nods to more recent American bands like Mazzy Star and School of Seven Bells.
A polished and interesting debut.
7/10
