Search - Laurel Macdonald :: Chroma

A deeply enchanting collection of songs, Laurel MacDonald's Chroma is mystical drone-tone experimentation that is at once lullaby, meditation, and ambient stimuli. MacDonald possesses a stunning, earthy voice that reaches from guttural moan to fluttery whisper to beautifully pitched half-tones, wondrously clear midvocal meanderings, and high-register gradations. Putting one in mind of Lisa Gerrard, Sheila Chandra, and even Kate Bush or Laurie Anderson, MacDonald delves into dense texture and the full spectrum of vocal colors illuminated and muted by light to dark exploration of sound. Well matched to her vocal abilities is the understated electro-acoustic accompaniment, including tremolo, slide, electronic-bow, pedal, and other guitars and a stable of drums and percussive instruments. Compositions are inspired and built on traditional Anglo lyrics ("A Wing and a Prayer"), the Egyptian scale ("Agnus Dei"), Scottish-Gaelic heritage ("Oran Na H-Eala"), as well as the stark barrenness of MacDonald's native far-north sensibility ("Northsong"). Chroma is a striking achievement, as much for its lack of affected fancy-pants artiness as for its warmly controlled technical prowess. --Paige La Grone