Reviews

Artist:Yana Bibb
EP:Heartzone
Label:Self Released
Tracks:11
Website:http://www.myspace.com/yanabibb

If the name Yana Bibb sounds familiar that could be because she is the daughter of bluesman Eric Bibb, has appeared on his current UK tour, and has been featured on BBC Radio 2 recently. Born In Brooklyn New York in 1985 and moved by her parents to Gothenburg in Sweden before the age of 1, Yana Bibb clearly inherited her father's penchant for music and singing.

Heartache is her debut EP, containing 3 sublime tracks. The title track, Heartzone,written by Eric Bibb and F. Bostrom, blends acoustic, pop and soul sounds which really sets the mood for the EP. Angel Guy, written again by Bibb and Bostrom, continues the theme of deep soulful sounding music, at times bringing to mind a voice I can't quite place.

The highlight of the EP for me, is the final track, Oceans, a joint writing effort between Yana and her father. Opening with sound of waves, it is ostensibly a song about her family and how they are spread out around the world, from the USA to Sweden and beyond. However, I am sure that there is at least one person in everyone's life to whom this song could relate. I also feel that this song lets Yana demonstrate what a truly beautiful voice she posseses.

At times during this song I felt the hair on the back of my neck standing up. When she sings, she demonstrates a maturity beyond her years. It is also refreshing that she has found her own soul style rather than following her father into the blues tradition. That said, something tells me that should she choose to incorporate the blues, she'd sing them exceptionally well, so versatile is her voice.

If this debut EP is anything to go by, then Yana Bibb is a name we will soon be hearing more of, across various genres of music and radio. She deserves to find success on her own merit, not just because she is related to Eric Bibb and I firmly believe with increased radio play, this will happen very soon.

Helen Mitchell

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