ESPERI - Esperi CD-EP
Acoustic perfection!! Esperi is a guy who plays and sings the lot. It's like a guy painting a musical canvas before your very eyes. The first thing you'll notice is THAT voice – it's like velvet – it's warm, soothing, strong, emotive, relaxed, effortless, distinctive and absolutely spellbinding as this gorgeous, rich male vocal just flows through the songs keeping you utterly captivated throughout. But then there's the arrangements. “Made For Life” opens proceedings with a river of the wondrous vocal veering between quiet and uplifting, as this backdrop of strummed acoustic guitars, deep bass, xylophone tinkling, softly lurching drums, the peal of hand-held – or in his case, foot-tapped – bells, all combine in their assorted layers to produce a music surrounding that's every bit as warming and languid as the vocals, but there's an underlying strength to the whole thing as one fantastic, feel-good song flows from his heart to yours. “Dialled” continues the feel, the flavour, the ease of enjoyment, as a slightly more accelerated drum rhythm alternates with a lurching drum pattern, surrounded by an array of exotic percussive layers, that ever present river of deep bass texture, the crisp, relaxed and strummed acoustic guitars, an almost violin-like texture in the far distance – and above all this, there's that fantastic warm-hearted, enraptured flow of a vocal that simply hypnotizes you as a song ensues into which you want to immerse yourself completely and totally. The violin line comes to the forefront, mid-track, again sleepily and languid, before dropping back into the mix, as the vocal returns and the, now slowly lurching drums and delicate layers, combine with the violin river to create the most exquisite song of gorgeous proportions, ending in a heavenly slowly flowing finale. “Proverb” starts with choppy drums, more strummed acoustic guitars, the velvet voice rising up into the skies as the track twists and turns, the guitars coming to the fore, the percussive backdrop distant but audible as that bass throbs along the bottom of the mix. The song climbs then drops back as another verse is allowed to develop, the richness of the voice a thing of great wonder, as the drums and acoustic guitars roll effortlessly along the meandering stream of the vocal delivery and the effect, with an almost hook-like centre to the lyrical structure, is simply spellbinding. The CD lists three tracks, but as the third (of three quite lengthy pieces) track ends, the music continues – for there is a “hidden” fourth track – this track with no name is an instrumental affair that segues from the riches of “Proverb” in layers of delicacy, starting with gentle waves of guitar, the lightness of the bells and an open ended space in your mind, onto which the flowing, almost church-like, sound of an organ's bass notes is heard, as bells are added – then a zither starts to play, chiming xylophone notes are added, and the layers are just superb – relaxed yet strong and mesmerising. An electronic wind instrument adds another melodic texture as the piece cycles an emotive path to your complete attention, truly gorgeous with a the delicate strength of a foundation of organ that abruptly ends – leaving just the quiet percussion to see the track out to wondrous effect. Overall, this is unique, engaging, timeless and absolutely stunning – a new acoustic performer charting new acoustic ground and making it every bit his own.