Imogen Heap
Speak For Yourself

Freedom:

in a single word, one can express the underlying quality of “Speak For Yourself”, the second solo album (the first, from 1998, was titled "I Megaphone") by Imogen Heap, the beautiful singer who was previously part of Frou Frou (don't get any wrong ideas) alongside Guy Sigsworth (collaborator and producer for Bjork). This is an incredible work, flexible, technical yet at the same time very innocent and light, it borders on perfection and balance at many moments, and also the disintegration of every musical barrier.

Take “Loose Ends”, simple beginning, electronic, and the chorus is composed of a very simple “taramtamtam”, with lyrics devoid of any probable complication, direct and lively, lasting barely 2 minutes, the song passes this way, and then a startle, a guitar emerges from nowhere, the song speeds up, goes wild, pulled into a distorted sound funnel and then unexpectedly stops again, resuming its course. “Hide And Seek” seems like a track from the moon, removing every instrument, leaving only her enchanting voice, colored and at the same time unnatural thanks to the synthesizer, with an emblematic and eccentric text, transforming this track into one of the most significant, liquid, and distorted, it flows over the skin and relaxes every muscle, and if you turn up the volume to the maximum, you will hear the rain beating on the windows, a slight tinkling under Imogen's voice, GENIUS. “The Walk” is Pop, one of those pop songs that amaze you for the ease of staying in your head for 4 consecutive days, the song is born and grows by itself, electronic like all of them, but with a chorus with easy and carefree tendencies. “Just For Now” is the track that comes closest to the light, Imogen’s heavenly voice leaves you speechless, a high note that tears your heart apart, distant echoes, rarefied noises that bring you very close to the singer's heart, moving. “I’m In Love With You” is the emblem of freedom, r'n'b beat, burst electronics, icy voice, playful yet varied sound, different, original, and obviously light. “Closing In” is the tribute to the most successful electronica of Massive Attack and Portishead, a successful tribute, where a hint of piano is indeed the strongest point, the link connecting all those brazen and tumultuous sounds, and then the violin that joins the piano in the end to put out a piece of rare and profound beauty. “Headlock” is, for me, the most beautiful and significant piece, starting playful, a harp, a cello, a computerized sound even slightly annoying, and a fluid text without any notable jolt, but then boom, an entire suite of violins makes the song orchestral, yet electronic at the same time thanks to the unstoppable beats… a sound that’s harrowing, unrepeatable, yet still light, breaking through the barely hinted suffering in Imogen's voice, which in this track perfectly expresses the intent of creating music for everyone, but of class. “The Moment I Said” is perhaps with “Hide and Seek” the other true ballad of the album, where Imogen's voice reaches an incredible naturalness, a distant echo, a lively piano, a melody without structure, moving solitary, foreign sounds entering the song to enrich it, a song that dies multiple times, but is reborn stronger and more concrete immediately after, transforming with masterful emotion.

There are other important tracks, “Daylight Robbery”, a track that combines Prodigy with any New Metal group, “Goodnight & Go” so sweet, takes you to one of those cold northern cliffs where maybe Imogen takes long walks, but in the end, there’s not much to say, this work ended in my hands by chance, also thanks to the good work done with Frou Frou I got curious, but I never would have believed to find so much spontaneity, ability and attitude, beyond the ever more beautiful discovery of a wonderful, powerful, exciting, sensual voice but especially free to run wherever it wants, just like her music.