I've been a
Katie Melua fan forever. Getting
to see her last Spring in Cambridge, MA. was
SUCH a treat. She's super talented and beautiful to boot. When I started to hear mutterings that the also brilliant
William Orbit was working with Melua on her record, I just about died. Why? He's the man behind
Madonna's EVER-BRILLIANT Ray Of Light album. Orbit's also known for his work with such talented artists as
Beth Orton,
Olive,
Blur and
Peter Gabriel, just to name a few. From remixes to original productions, William Orbit is a master at his craft. The very idea of putting the Orbit touch on a Katie Melua record is beyond brilliant to me.
Way back when Melua's label let fans send in questions for Melua to answer and one of mine was selected. I asked the artist if she would ever consider contributing vocals to a electronica/dance track. Melua answered, "Yes" if it was the right fit for her. I brushed it off and forgot about it. Then, I heard "
The Flood" - Melua's first single off of her upcoming fourth album. No, "The Flood" is not a straight up dance song but
IS a departure from her previous efforts - and a brilliant departure at that. The song really excels preserving all of the qualities that make Melua's voice so captivating.
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| Katie Melua & William Orbit in the studio |
Not dramatically different from some of her previous singles, "The Flood" starts out as any other Melua song might...with a beautiful orchestra leading into Melua's first verse. Melua starts in with the first few verses, singing along at a slower, more laid-back tempo.
THEN at the
2:10 mark, the song takes a dramatic turn into the unexpected. The tempo dramatically shifts into an up-tempo dance number. Of course, things slow down right before the track ends but
WOW. That minute and a half of dance music was what I had been waiting for since I first heard Melua's voice. It worth the wait. After listening to the song on the
Music Fascination blog (ripped from it's
BBC Radio 2 radio premiere on the
Ken Bruce show) several times, I took to Twitter to let everyone know just how fabulous it was.
@Fool_4_Jamie Can't stop listening to the Katie Melua/@WilliamOrbit track The Flood. A beautiful departure from her older stuff...but still the same vibe.
@WilliamOrbit @Fool_4_Music wait till you hear the album!
I think that's an endorsement if I've ever heard one. The new Katie Melua album is going to be a beautiful thing. Titled
The House, the album features the songwriting talent of Melua herself as well as
Lauren Christy (Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne - as The Matrix),
Guy Chambers (
Robbie Williams,
Kylie Minogue) and
Rick Nowels (
Colbie Caillat,
Dido). "The Flood" is due out on
May 17th in the UK, followed by the album release on
May 24th. The album is due out in the U.S. on
August 3rd. Additionally, artwork for "The Flood" and
The House is being worked on by UK artist
John Gosler, according to a Tweet from Melua's longtime producer
Mike Batt. Looks like this is all coming together! I, for one, can't wait!
Tracklisting for The House:1. I’d Love To Kill You
2. The Flood
3. A Happy Place
4. A Moment Of Madness
5. Red Balloons
6. Tiny Alien
7. No Fear Of Heights
8. The One I Love Is Gone
9. Plague Of Love
10. God On The Drums Devil On The Bass
11. Twisted
12. The House
Check out Katie Melua on the web:
