“Sparkle” is the first single from an upcoming EP by Civil Wray, a project by Canadian vocalist Andrea de Boer (BlueVenus) and producer Matt DeMatteo (Danko Jones, Big Wreck, Esthero).
The pair has created a sprawling 6-minute dream pop tune reminiscent of Portishead and Tricky. There is less trip-hop evident as the song progresses, which helps it balance between the sounds of Morcheeba or Warpaint.
Civil Wray describes the song as influenced by artists like David Bowie and Tame Impala, which is a nice comparison. This is especially noticeable when considering Tame Impala’s 2020 album, The Slow Rush, and some of Bowie’s later work, like Black Star (2016) and Heathen (2002).
Comparability isn’t absolutely necessary to enjoy “Sparkle” on its own merits, which is of course the mark of exceptional art. The song is well-constructed and passionately performed. A sign of good things to come.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of February 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup. The submitter accepted our content-based offer, which included financial compensation for our time writing, editing, and publishing this article.
Well done Andrea !