Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself

5 Stars

In a move that could have proved to be disastrous, Imogen Heap shunned all the major labels, who were fighting over the rights to release her second solo album, re-mortgaged her flat and set up a label of her own. Now, Imogen already has a healthy following from her previous album and her band Frou Frou, so this was never going to fall flat but it should still have been a low-key release.

Everything changed just a few weeks before the album’s release when the single from the album, Hide & Seek was used in the final episode of The OC’s second series. Of the back of that one play alone the Imogen Heap website received 50,000 hits and shot up the Billboard and iTunes charts.

See, now I’ve mentioned The OC you’re probably imagining what I did, a folk singer with a guitar. I don’t know what it is about US teen dramas that makes me assume everyone who has music featured in them is a folk singer with a guitar. I blame Dawson’s Creek. Imogen Heap is about as far from that image as you could get.

Speak For Yourself is a truly stunning album. Essentially an electronic record, Heap layers the tracks with a vast range of instruments from cello to carpet tubes. When guitars do appear they aren’t acoustic and folk they’re electric, loud and impressively played. And every note on here is played by Heap herself, which probably means that the label “genius” probably wouldn’t be out of place.

Imogen Heap is an utterly unique performer with a tremendous talent. You should check her out right now.

Original Article

>Back to menu<