Every summer has its soundtracks, and 2006 has one eagerly waiting in the form of Nuala. Offspring of an Irish father and Spanish mother, and raised in North London, Nuala began playing guitar when she was seven, a fact hinting at her musically indulged upbringing. Her diverse ancestry is certainly incorporated into her unique sound.
Creating an enticing blend of acoustic folk and samba-tinted jazz, emphasised by a healthy balance of English and Spanish lyrics, descriptions are already surfacing along the lines of ‘Katie Melua with a Spanish edge’. Sweeping record executives of their feet during a performance in a bar in Kilburn, Nuala was unexpectedly yet unsurprisingly signed out-of-the-blue and on the spot after an impressive a capella/solo acoustic performance. Her enthusiasm for stripped-down vocal performance is certainly justified by her delightful voice.
Brought into the studio and provided with musicians, she set about developing her distinctively blissful groove which caresses her songs to a sheer point of relaxation. Bossa-nova percussive rhythms accompany Latino-jazz chords and the odd flamenco guitar solo, which along with her laid-back lyrics and equally chilled melodies, all contribute to her brilliantly executed ‘sunshine sound’. One of the many highlights of her repertoire is a ‘flamenco-folk’ take on Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’; an epitomising example of her inspired musical vision. Also delving into the Doris Day back-catalogue with a version of Day’s 1954 number one hit, ‘Secret Love’, Nuala demonstrates the broadness of her musical inspiration.
At 28, Nuala is youthful and fun-loving, yet her approach to song-writing boasts an admirable maturity. Her impressive ability shown in creating an original and highly enjoyable cross-genre, suggests favourably her potential to carve herself a niche within the current revival of the female singer-songwriter crop, alongside the likes of KT Tunstall, Nerina Pallot and Melua herself.
The ideal backdrop for every barbeque, afternoon in a beer garden or driving with the roof down this summer, the rise of this highly talented and individual songstress is certainly one to watch out for.
Check out Nuala at www.caitlinrecords.com
www.myspace.com/nualaohalpin
Release Date: 25th Sept 06 Label: Caitlin Records
You can rate this item one to five stars, but bear in mind you can do so only once. The higher the rating the higher the item will appear within the IHOUSEU Albums Chart!
Terms & Conditions• Privacy Statement• Accessibility Policy• Purchase Policy• IHOUSEU 2012 All Rights Reserved
