Elizabeth Fraser and Damon Reece, working with collaborators including Steve Hackett and Thighpaulsandra, have released five songs under the name Sun’s Signature.
These songs were performed live as part of Anohni’s Meltdown at Southbank Centre, London in 2012. Of this new music, Underwater is probably the most accessible, familiar in part because of its limited vinyl release in 2002 and its near legendary status given Fraser’s long silence since her releases with Massive Attack in 1998.
So, why the lengthy hiatus? Life. It really is that simple, and that prosaic. Of course. there’s more to it than that and Fraser spoke about that in a 2009 Guardian interview and since, the struggles with her voice and how these reflected where she was at in her life. That’s why her return to making music is such a breathtaking experience.
The opening track, Golden Air, starts off slow as a paean to nature and a celebration of the eternal before exploding into a maelstrom of psychedelic folk. Fraser’s peerless soprano glissando is here in full effect. For any singer, but for female singers especially, time can be cruel to the voice. Fraser’s golden soprano soars and glitters despite the passage of time. The rest of the mini album has many other high points. It’s well worth a listen. Stop time in its tracks.
Sanjit Chudha 