Blackened cities

"Her unique phrasing employs the same maxims of silence and space that her musicians do. Even her own flute break uses an economic palette, elastically balancing harmony with breath. But in its creative leap, Blackened Cities retains all of the appealing elements heard on No Deal. As the track eventually washes into silence, it becomes evident that it had to stand as its own release. This aural travelogue's sensual cool, brooding tension, and elegiac tenderness are inseparable from one another. It is complete, but even at this length Blackened Cities ends all too soon".

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"Der huserer i [De Baisios] sangforedrag en unik lidenskab og smerte, og hun bevæger sig rundt i arrangementer præget af jazz, soul og triphop ... På "Blackened Cities" er trommespillet en slags motor, der får sangen til at skifte fart, mens pianisten og i særlig grad Melanie De Biasio som vokalist og fløjtenist hele tiden formår at kreere nye fascinerende spændingsfelter. Der sker så meget interessant, at man efter endt lytning straks vil høre nummeret igen. Og igen".

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"De kalder hende Belgiens Billie Holiday, men jeg kommer mere til at tænke på Nina Simones "Sinnerman" eller australske The Necks undervejs i det trancelignende forløb. Hvordan man end kategoriserer "Blackened Cities", er det fængslende smukt".

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