f you had sat me down three years ago and put In Swings The Tide in my minidisk hi-fi I probably would have told you to fuck right off. What’s with all these soft melodies? Why is her voice so laid back and delicate? Where’s the fucking distortion?
A few years and a few destroyed AFI albums later I can safely say that on this album Anika Moa has shown herself as an invaluable talent and skilled artist.
Current single Dreams In My Head is a stand out, as it walks a fine line between pop and slop. Everything is done just right. The strings strong and warm, are still not so overdone as to make it seem melodramatic, and her singing while restrained still carries enough emotion and feel that you are at all time engaged.
With the album being written after a break up and the death of her often absent father from a terminal illness Moa’s lyrics are understandably a little shy of upbeat, but somehow the album’s fragile melodies and warm production mean it’s never depressing.
And that’s what I love about this album. When you listen to it you feel as though you should be crying for her, but all you can do is smile.
