Vows

Synopsis

Echoing the experimental nature of recent collaborator Gotye, whose number one single, "Somebody That I Used To Know," she stole the show on, New Zealand songstress Kimbra's debut album, Vows, is a schizophrenic affair which is almost impossible to pigeonhole. Effortlessly flitting from bubblegum pop starlet on the playful old-skool beats and 60s doo-wop vocals of "Cameo Lover," to smoky chanteuse on the Sade-esque cocktail lounge jazz-soul of "Withdraw," to avant-garde banshee on the melancholic music box-inspired closer, "The Build Up," Kimbra's chameleon-like tendencies ensure that predictability is certainly never an issue on any one of its twelve genre-hopping tracks. Occasionally, this ‘cover all bases' approach lacks focus, particularly on "Limbo," whose scattering percussion and a cappella vocal loops evoke an aimless improvised jam session, and "Wandering Limbs," an electro-soul duet with newcomer Sam Lawrence which creates an intriguingly woozy atmosphere, but forgets to provide any notable melodies. But for the most part, Kimbra's invention is a marvel to behold, as her enchanting and swooping jazz-pop tones glide across a veritable feast of sounds, from the flirtatious 80s synths and funky slap-bass lines of Prince pastiche, "Call Me," to the hypnotic double bass-lines and 30s show-tune harmonies of "Good Intent," to the plinky piano hooks and rhythmic R&B grooves of opener "Settle Down," while a beautifully gothic take on "Plain Gold Ring," is one of the rare instances of a Nina Simone cover matching the original. It'll be interesting to see if she decides to pursue a more streamlined direction in the future, but by threading its widely eclectic range of influences together in such an impressively cohesive manner, Vows suggests she might never need to. ~ Jon O'Brien