Oh Sister
Album: Watch the Water EP
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 4
Website: http://ohsistermusic.com/

Oh Sister (Sarah Berresford) offers one of those rare female voices that have an addictive note it. Once you have heard it you just want more of it. Yet there's only one EP out yet to be relished: her 4 track debut EP "Watch the Water". It consists of 4 cracking songs, arranged in a wonderful atmospheric and not solely acoustic way. The songs themselves are rich and beautiful in themselves though and display beautiful melodies. They are powerful melodies performed in a minimalized way that make them appear fragile. That's what might be responsible for the magic of Sarah Berresford's music: That great contrast between fragility and power.

Contrast will also be found in the arrangements. They work with both acoustic and electric elements - this cross over works beautifully on this EP. And I must admit, I never missed a synthesizer in any music I listened to ever after the 80ies but I do like its sounds on this record. They are used in all of the four songs but let Sarah Berresford's fine acoustic guitar playing always shine through nicely.

Her vocals seem to be used only to half of the extent that they could be used to - there is so much more that she holds back and only for seconds shines through, like in "Don't Leave". It's probably part of what makes her music exciting. Her vocals sound amazing in high and low pitch and they are distinct, clear and not stereotypically whispering. When combined with some lovely harmonies like in the final track "Hot and Cold" any listening heart is just bound to melt.

I am not very much into comparisons but as I am a great admirer of Tori Amos' and Nathalie Merchant's music I would like to mention that Oh Sister's music does bring both of them to mind and I am very happy to have found a female singer that intrigues me likewise.

Dagmar Brudnitzki