FRANCESCA BELMONTE – ANIMA

With a slew of spooked, sultry tracks emerging online late last year, Francesca Belmonte slowly but surely emerged as one of the most fascinating new talents out there today, trafficking in her very own distinct vein of freaked pop which seamlessly blended in R n’B, soul, club, electronica, avant-garde and much more to hypnotic effect. Now, with her debut LP “Anima”, Belmonte finally unveils that distinctive vision in full, with a vast and shimmering collection of tracks.

Although Belmonte first got her start singing with legendary experimental artist Tricky, appearing on his “False Idols” and “Adrian Thaws” albums and now signed to his own False Idols imprint, “Anima” sees her develop her own uniquely singular persona. The sombre honest tones in her vocals are wickedly broken up by the beats, synths and electronica of her key collaborator, with the result being a powerful and highly expressive LP filled with passion. The frantic single ‘Lying on the Moon’ jolts you wide awake and leaves you wandering aghast. It is easy to be both confused and comforted by Belmonte’s breathy whisper that rises above the slick rhythms. The break-beat ballad ‘Walk With You’ may begin like trip-hop but then effortlessly bleeds into soul and gospel, while on ominous opener “Hiding in the Rushes”, Belmonte bleeds dark red over dramatic synth stabs. The languorous “Joker” belies her unfaltering obsession with vocalist greats such as Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey and the Ronettes, while the gorgeous torch song “Are You” ends the album in dramatic, fine fashion. ‘Anima’ may be a very personal album, forged in Francesca Belmonte’s heart and thoughts, but it musically goes further, much further. And as a complex variety of breath-taking moments occur, you fall under her spell.