Last Spring I gave Canadian songbird Leslie Feist’s album The Reminder a lukewarm welcome here in the “pages” of Blogarhythms. Although I loved a few selections from the LP immediately, I was initially non-plussed by what I perceived as a departure from the formulas of her sophomore LP Let It Die. Months later, as the year wound down, I found that my apprehensions had all but worn away, and by year’s end The Reminder was one my favorite releases of 2007.
In addition to the compelling beauty of Feist’s voice, and her skills at crafting heart-string-tugging tunes, this turn-around can at least be at least partially attributed to the catchiness of tracks like “1, 2, 3, 4″ and “My Moon My Man.” Both songs happened to be chosen as singles and then picked by major corporations as the soundtrack for their marketing campaigns, lending both an instant ubiquity even radio and video play couldn’t have. So you can imagine my shock when I recently heard what I thought to be the familiar piano intro of “My Moon My Man” only to be surprised by a whole new set of lyrics, sung by a voice other than Feist’s.
The song I was hearing was in fact called “Because,” and it was being sung by a 30-year-old Viennese vocalist named Madita. I’m reticent to call it a jack. And I don’t think there’s direct sampling going on, although that’s a tough call. Whether it’s an interpolation, a replay, a homage or a coincidence matters not though, because the similarity is undeniable. But don’t sweat it if that sort of thing feels a little too much like biting to you, as there are two remixes, including a synth-heavy Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam-esque rework courtesy of a guy named Edgar Tones, on her album in addition to the Feist-y version.
Watch “Because”
Madita “Because (Edgar Tones Remix)”
That album, appropriately titled Too, is the sophomore solo release from the vocalist who cut her teeth collaborating with Vienna-based Downtempo duo dZihan & Kamien early this century. While it’s undoubtedly poppy, Too bears the undeniable imprint of an artist steeped in the traditions of Downtempo, Trip-Hop, Lounge and Acid Jazz. Tracks like the Bossa-infused “Deep Down,” the stripped-down piano-and-string ballad “Karma” and “September,” with it’s James Bond soundtrack horn swells and lo-fi electronics, showcase both a sense of cinematic drama and smoky jazziness that betrays an infatuation with Lounge, Space-Age Pop and Jazz-inflected “chillout” music.
Still, other songs, like “Better Brother” and “Supertight” feature the sound of choppy samples, synths, primitive drum-machines and other electronic effects in addition to the veritable orchestra of musical instruments heard throughout the LP as it deftly moves under the feather-soft exertions of it’s Hip-Hop, Soul, Jazz, and straight-ahead Pop influences. But no matter what mood the band strikes, their aim is providing plenty of pillowy backing on which Madita’s languid, cabaret-ready rasp and loopy, non-sequitur-laden lyrics can lounge comfortably.
I wonder if any Austrian cell-phone companies or MP3-player-makers need music for their television campaigns? If so, I think they might need to get at ol’ girl.
- El Keter