Shrift

This is the debut album for singer-songwriter Nana Miranda and multi-texturalist/producer Dennis Wheatley. I wasn’t aware that multi-texturalist was a job one could have, but it certainly works for this album, although they are mostly muted through a screen of mellow. The whole album has the feeling of a dreamscape, where all the pictures are a bit fuzzy around the edges. It flows around and through the senses, and never does much to scare or frighten the listener. These are poignant, tender songs, emphasised by the dreamy quality of Nana Miranda’s voice — particularly the first track "Lost in a Moment,” which wanders a bit through its own foggy existence. However, the following tracks emphasise more heavily the rhythms and groove of samba and bossa nova, as well as others, and are more moving for their ability to move in a direction, rather than drifting aimlessly. "To The Floor,” in particular, sounds like something straight out of a ’70s discotheque, complete with swaying strings and faded vocals. Then there are others that take a middle ground, like "Snow Samba,” which retains some of the dreamy quality while still pushing a bit with the beats. No matter what dream you’re having, it’s an album that’s easy to get lost in.