When DataBass first came to my attention, it was as a fresh-faced student at Ball State University in Indiana, USA. Now, she’s 22 years old and still making music that surpasses her years.
By Graeme Smith
Songbird is her debut album, her first full-length after singles Make Our Art, Talking To My Dreams and Animal Eyes all passed through our pages. There’s a vein of cinematic etherealness that runs through all her releases so far, including Songbird, yet the album does also throw up some surprises.
DataBass grew up classically trained, drawing inspiration from contemporary composers like Thomas Bergersen, Hans Zimmer, Philip Glass, and Mike Shinoda. To that sound she injects the kind of emotion we only feel when we’re young, and some bleeding edge electronica.
It’s a sound that is typified by album opener Ballad of The Doves, and flows through much of the early running, including the moody and immersive Submerged and Underwater Grievances.
But then, we get an acoustic twist. The change of composition makes Little Ghost stand out. The vocals are given plenty of space, accompanied simply by guitar, as they tell their tale of bravery and grief.
Lyrically, Songbird reflects on growth, change, and self-discovery. “Each song carries pieces of where I was emotionally and creatively during my final years of college,” says DataBass. “It’s about holding space for grief, but also about finding lightness and beauty along the way.”
One thing that DataBass does exceptionally well is the deployment of image and metaphor to tell her story. Each track comes to life as a result, painting visuals in your mind.
Bird metaphors are, of course, a recurrent theme. The lush Aviary feels like home while the album’s closing title track lilts like a songbird in motion.
Cloudburst is an expansive instrumental, Frozen Glass is crystalline through its percussive textures, and Time has a true sense of inevitability as it tells its mournful, philosophical tale. There’s a touch of ‘80s Goth a la All Above Eve about it.
Songbird is a short, sweet and impressive debut album. In it, you can hear DataBass’s growth along with her devotion to her chosen sound. The genuine emotion of its lyrics is compelling; its instrumental arrangements are intriguing. What else can you ask for? DataBass is going to be a force to be reckoned with as her career develops, that’s for sure.
The album is out now, and you can listen to it below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
