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 - Beautiful and inspiring!Recently, I put my iTunes on shuffle (not sumthin I normally do), and Imogen's "Hide and Seek" started to play. My whole body started to tingle cuz I just love this song, and I hadn't heard in quite a while. After the song had finished, I immediately took my iTunes off shuffle mode, and started "Speak For Yourself!" from track one. "Ahh....!!" I thought to myself, "...such an inspiring album!"...I bathed my hearing senses with every nuance I could soak in. Into my 2nd-listen-in-a-row through the album, I had a disturbing thought! - I had never written a review of one of my all time favorite albums, ever! First of all, as anyone would agree, Imogen has a beautifully trained voice. She can transition from a soft whisper to a scream like nobody's business! (ok, she really doesn't scream). But in other words, I guess the point I'm trying to get out, is that she doesn't sing they same way, in every song....she's a very dynamic vocalist! And from what I understand, she writes, sings, composes and produces most everything herself (wow). Her music, second of all, is very impressive. It's vibrant, rich, intelligent and full of subleties that paints a very unique and wonderful soundscape she can call all her own. Song structures are generally comprised of electronics as the backbone, such as percussion and bass lines, while the more melodic instrumentation may be a combination of piano, strings, xylophone, or some other exotic sounding instrument, mixed with other synthetic tembres. As an analogy, the music is very synchronous and acrobatic, much like watching a complicated peice of machinery at work. A friend recently sent me a link to one of her video blogs where she just aquired an instrument called "De Hang", it's like a hand-held steel drum, but much better sounding (in my opinion). I hope to hear this thing in her upcoming release this Fall! :) And speaking of her blogs, I've been catching up on them and have formed somewhat of a sisterly liking to her worldly persona. As a musician myself, her passion for her music is very inspiring and motivating. As a person, her passion about life and little things is apparently something she enjoys, and is inspiring as well. I feel even more connected to her and her music, thanks to her video blogs (which are on YouTube and accessible from her website here: http://www.imogenheap.co.uk/). Anyhooo....regardless of what your musical preference is, you should take a listen to "Speak For Yourself". It's a "must have" in my book! Rating:  - Fun album with repeatablityImogen Heap has a beautiful voice. This album is filled with songs that highlight that voice without seeming to overwhelm you with it. The album is enjoyable listening to as a whole or focusing on a couple of songs. It stands up to repeated listening, which is more than can be said for much of the popular radio fare. Rating: - Great CD from start to finish...I bought this CD because one of the songs was play on 'So You Think You Can Dance' to one of the lyrical numbers. Truly beautiful. It's one of those CDs that you can listen to from start to finish without disappointment. Great unique arrangements. Beautiful voice. Soothing yet strong. Love it! Rating: - Mesmerizing...Pros: Everything. The CD acts like a siren, you're sucked in and before you know it, you've been immersed in the music. Cons: Nothing. The Bottom Line: A unique and wonderful listening experience. Mesmerizing is the first word to come to mind when I think of Imogen Heap's work. Not only are the songs well done; but they sound nothing like one another. Then take into account that she wrote, produced, and worked for a year creating this album. She sings all the vocals, plays keyboard, synthesizes everything, and re-mortagaged her entire flat/apartment to fund the release (and production) this album. Yet, the songs and CD still own a professional quality. Now, this, dear reader, is what I call a labour for the love of music. (And, I must add, the quality of this CD alone puts to shame the many artists who are funded automatically; yet release sub-par CDs.) Luckily, Imogen managed to gain enough to fund "Speak For Yourself" and what a CD it is! Imogen's vocals have a very other-worldy feel to them, the vocals are like no other. She has a very nice, calming voice that is pleasant to listen to. She is not afraid to experiment with differing styles - most particularly on "Hide and Seek" where her vocals take on both a synthesized sound (while managing to sound natural) and acapella at the same time. Elsewhere, "The Walk" is sung with a powerful sadness of someone not wanting to feel upset over lost love. Opposite this "Headlock" has a wonder aspect in terms of sound, as if one is in a different world all together. Yet, Imogen also exhibits a tinge of realization, reflection, and forwardness when it comes to another person's excuses. "The Moment I said It" is another fantastic example. Imogen uses her range on this powerful ballad, sounding completely angelic. In fact, it was this very song that caught my attention and made me want to buy this CD in the first place. The songs themselves are, as mentioned, very different from one another. "Headlock" begins on a calm note; but turns up the beat halfway through becoming a completely different song at the end. It is a beautiful piece of music - energizing and powerful. "Goodbye and Go" becomes a song one could dance to. It is fun and playful much like the theme of the song, which revolves around a crush. "Have You Got it in You?" follows in a more serious tone. The keyboards on this song are exquisite, exhibiting a nostalgic and pensive feeling. It is a favourite of mine. "Loose Ends" returns to that dance-like feeling; but this time, Imogen sings in a more serious tone about love gone sour. Accompanied by the the shifting instrumental tunes, the song becomes a standout. You can almost see her wandering around a city thinking about what to say to her man about the mess their relationship has gone though as the beats heighten. "Hide and Seek" becomes the most unique song on the album, by being all acapella, save for the synthesizer sound. Nor is Imogen's creativity stinted: she does not use only conventional instruments. In "Closing In" the beat is created by Imogen banging CD cases against carpet tube castaways. Quite amazing to say the least. Overall, the CD is an absolute gem from beginning to end. Recommended: Absolutely. Rating:  - Get out moreThe artist says she spent a year alone in her studio. The piece number 5 - Hide and Seek, is very good and the whole reason I bought this. The rest of the CD is over done. The artist needs to get out more. I hope to see more, and better work from her.
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