Laura Moreno Garcia
Incredible

LA RECENSIONE

The year is 2000 and Epic Records decides to put a new project to the test: a "web artist" to be launched through the then hugely popular platform MSN.it.

Opening the way for this collaboration between Sony Music and Microsoft is Spanish singer Laura Moreno Garcia, a young pop hopeful with a warm and sensual voice, who is launched with the single “Ossessione”, an Italian-language release that hit radio rotation in autumn 2000, along with its music video. The release also featured a b-side, an Italian cover of Olive’s “This Time” that becomes “Notte in città”.

The single doesn’t achieve the hoped-for success, and Garcia remains silent for a few years. However, we know that she signs another long-term publishing contract with Sony Music Publishing and works on perfecting her image, supported by a team of prominent figures from the worlds of fashion and music, such as David Massey, Charlie Rapino, and Celia McCamley.

In 2002, she records various songs at Murlyn Studios in Stockholm, including a demo titled “Yo Soy Así”, which we’ll encounter later on.

2003 arrives, and Laura Moreno Garcia returns to the airwaves with the single “Bye Bye Baby”, for which a sublime video is produced with choreography by Luca Tommassini (already enlisted for videos by artists of the caliber of Geri Halliwell, Giorgia, Kylie Minogue, Holly Valance, Paola & Chiara, etc...), and with the promo “Incredible”, whose title is also given to the album from which these singles are taken, released again in 2003 and, once more, only in Italy.

“Incredible” is an album that is a pleasure to listen to, where electronics and the warm sounds of acoustic instruments coexist in a transcendent relationship, perfectly blending with the chronological heterogeneity of the project—rooted in the 2000s but with clear 70s influences.

With its mere 9 original tracks plus an extended version of the title promo, this album succeeds in delivering auditory pleasure far beyond that of other, much longer and more acclaimed records, thanks to the richness given by every detail this gem contains—clearly the result of great skill and balance.

Taking the same name as the LP, “Incredible”, besides being the promo single, could not help but be the opening track!

A song with avant-garde production, elevated by ethereal vocoder parts and a recurring guitar in the chorus that supports Laura's seductive yet energetic vocal performance.

Another track, with a funky guitar, takes us on an enlightening 4'31" journey: “I Like To Be With You” is one of the album’s highest moments, where a meticulous writing process and hunt for sounds manage to offer a moment of pure joy and openness.

I find it impossible not to be swept away by those strings, so captivating and ethereal!

Moving to the third track, just one listen is enough to understand why “Bye Bye Baby” was chosen as the main single—the 70s hues give the song a bold tone further confirmed by the assertive bass and irresistible groove, resulting from a prestigious blend of sounds, sometimes distorted, sometimes muffled, but always remarkably coherent and meaningful.

Remember “Yo Soy Así”? Here it is again on this CD, now titled “Caras Bonitas”.

Don’t be misled by the Spanish title. Apart from a shy “chica” in the first verse and the phrase “yo soy así” repeated ad nauseam, the singer’s mother tongue is practically unused, leaving ample space for English, the dominant language.

Here the attitude becomes subtler, setting aside the brash approach of the previous track in favor of an atmosphere that remains upbeat but is now more lustful and dark, where Laura moves impeccably.

“Feel Like a Woman” travels along the same wavelengths, but with a more R&B coloring and a kick drum that, in certain passages, calls to mind “I’m a Slave 4 U” by the much more famous Britney Spears.

The verses provide further proof of our darling’s sensuality, but unlike the previous track, she becomes bolder in the chorus, reaching the peak of a highly effective, sweeping, and dynamic climax. Without doubt, one of my personal favorites.

After warmth always comes the cold—that’s just how it goes—and “Be With Me” amply demonstrates this. A pleasant sine and pounding beat are the formula behind this sparkling uptempo number, made for dancing.

Like a spa where you alternate between warmth and chill, with exotic Turkish baths standing proudly beside the saunas, the album then relaxes us again in the warmth with “Marry”, an intriguing jazz detour with a heartfelt, almost spoken lyric delivered by the gentle voice of the Spanish artist and that of a male counterpart.

The storytelling becomes even more credible with delightful piano flourishes that take their well-deserved spotlight without fear.

After this comforting spa treatment, if you’re with a partner, you might end up under the sheets, indulging in that passion which becomes the vital sap and sublimation of a journey through body and mind begun within the wellness haven. And that’s exactly what happens with “Turn Me Up”, a track that is playful and spicy in a surprisingly posh way.

The reason an apparently difficult combination like this comes so easy in the production is the delicacy of Laura’s singing, which floats lightly through this bold and sophisticated arrangement—truly unforgettable.

“Get Down” leaves the taste of summer in your mouth: the pace eases up and the trumpets immediately transport the listener to a nearly deserted beach in Tenerife, its golden sand glowing in the sunset.

The bridge elevates the track, with Latin-tinged percussion and the line “esta noche tu eres mío y solo mío”, where the voice we've been hearing for half an hour allows itself a brief moment to reclaim its origins.

And if the production quality of “Incredible” hadn’t satisfied you at the start, the album closes with an extended version of the track that makes it even more vibrant.

Thus concludes the adventure of “Incredible”, made of restraint, sensuality, fun, elegance, and multi-style bravura.

Unfortunately, this album was hardly promoted at all. Some talk of disagreements between Laura Moreno Garcia and Sony Music, but we don’t really know what happened.

The singer subsequently turned to acting before returning to music about ten years ago, releasing a single under the name Laura More.

Laura, you may have been mistreated by the industry, but there’s no questioning the quality of this masterpiece of yours.

I hope you are proud of your work and happy, whatever you may be doing.