Nive Nielsen: Nive Sings...

Want to know what a girl from Greenland sounds like doing dixieland jazz? Search no further than the, incredibly talented, Nive Nielsen. 

With a uniqueness and talent that is rare, Nive Nielsen has a polished brand of soft, occasionally witty, folk/jazz/rock songs that both soothe and exude originality. Imagine Bjork and Cat Power in a cage match with a ukelele and a harpsichord. I love what she is doing and I can't wait for the album Nive Sings - As Played by Nive Nielsen and The Deer Children.

With so many undeniably great songs coming out of Nive Nielsen, it is no surprise that she draws an incredible amount of talent that are lining up to work with her. What makes me so excited about her upcoming full-length album is the talent she has on her side, which includes: John Parish (PJ Harvey), Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), Ralph Carney, Patrick Carney (Black Keys), Eric Craven, Lisa Gamble (Hrsta, Evangelista), Alden Penner (Clues, Unicorns), Matt Bauer (Alela Diane) and Arlen Thompson (Wolf Parade). With that amount of talent helping her express her own, I can't imagine there being many faults with the upcoming release.

Nive Nielsen has her e.p. digitally available, in it's entirety, on myspace and expect her full length album later this year.

Have a listen:

Nive Nielsen & The Deer Children “Good For You (I Would Be)

John Parrish: She, A Chinese

I am sure everyone who travels experiences the same monotony. How is one supposed to consume all those hours of waiting when reading becomes boring, music becomes mundane, and people-watching just becomes repetitive? My remedy, explore things you often would not.

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of John Parish's She, A Chinese Soundtrack and I am so very thankful for it. It strays ever-so slightly from my regular listening and it has been a surprising little voyage. Soundtracks have always been a mystery to me and I feel one can only really grasp them when they are heard in context; not so with Parish's work here. I have found myself listening to this frequently and it comes in very handy during those "waiting" times.

I hate words like "crescendos" and "ambiance" in musical reviews but, unfortunately, they cannot be ignored in this case. Parish pushes boundaries with regards to sound and tonal exploration. He has just the right mix of Eastern and Western influences, which includes Chinese punk bands bumping up against Feist, and it works perfectly. My favourite track is Li Mei & Rachid which has a thrilling quality to it which almost sounds like audible redemption.

Check out She, A Chinese Soundtrack by John Parish

John Parish - Li Mei & Rachid