MOUNTAIN AIRES
Jazz N "STRIKING AND MEMORABLE RIFFS INTERSPERSED WITH SPACIOUS AND DELICATE NOTATION"
FolkWales Thumbs up! "ESBE WEAVES A DELICATE WEB THAT CASTS A PEACEFUL YET VIVIDLY IMAGINATIVE AURA"
**** Four Stars Westzeit "THE POWER OF ESBE'S GUITAR LAYERED INTO FINELY BALANCED INSTRUMENTAL GEMS . . CLASSY . . ENCHANTING"
**** Four Stars RnR Magazine "A SEDUCTIVELY SEAMLESS SILVER RAIN OF GLISTENING NOTES. THIS CD IS A TUTORIAL. A HAPPENNING. A CONTEMPLATION. A JOY."
The Independent Music Show Magazine "A SUBLIME BLEND OF MULTI-TRACKED CLASSICAL GUITAR . . INTRICATE AND DELICATE"
Jazzquad "ESBE'S GUITAR MAGICALLY CHANGES FOR EACH LOCATION AND MUSICAL CULTURE, EVOKING HIGH EMOTIONS"
LA SERENISSIMA
Take Effect 9/10 "THE PRODUCTION IS TOP NOTCH AND THE DELIVERY FLAWLESS . . STUNNING VOCAL ACROBATICS AND PRODUCTION TALENTS . . ORCHESTRAL BEAUTY"
Rootstime "WITHOUT DOUBT, ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING FIGURES WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED . . COMPLETELY UNIQUE . . AN INCREDIBLY STRONG VOICE WHICH CAN HANDLE ANY GENRE, AND A VERY STRONG SENSE OF ORCHESTRATION AND ARRANGEMENTS. ESBE IS A FORMIDABLE MUSICIAN AND SINGER!"
Folk Wales Magazine "HYPNOTIC AND ARTFULLY CLEVER . . A VIVID AURAL SKETCHBOOK" THUMBS UP!
Moors Magazine "A REMARKABLE MUSICIAN WHO REGULARLY PRODUCES ASTONISHING MUSIC. A FASCINATING ALBUM"
Monolith Cocktail "ESOTERIC. SPELLBINDING. DRAMATIC AND THEATRICAL. ETHEREAL AND SUBTLE. ARTFULLY SUGGESTIVE AND STIRRING. MAGICAL AND HAUNTINGLY SURREAL"
BlogFolk "A UNIQUE AND DISTINCTIVE SOUNDSCAPE, ECLECTIC AND ORIGINAL"
The Alternative 9 ALBUM OF THE WEEK JANUARY 15 2024
**** 4 stars Westzeit "ENRAPTURED. ENCHANTING. WONDERFUL."
**** 4 stars RnR Magazine "DELIGHTFULLY WEIRD, SHOWCASING THE COMPOSER'S EXTRAORDINARY SINGING VOICE. A SOUNDTRACK TO AN IMAGINED MOVIE. PART OF ESBE'S GENIUS IS THAT SHE EXPERIMENTS WITH OVERLAYED SOUNDS AND TEXTURES, APPARENTLY UNAFRAID TO SWEEP AWAY NORMAL RESTRICTIONS. EXTRAORDINARY."
Progressive Rock Central "ANOTHER SUPURB ALBUM. FASCINATING RECORDING. ENGAGING AND DEEPLY SATISFYING MIX OF EXQUISITELY DELIVERED SONGS AND INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITIONS CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF VENICE'S CULTURAL RICHNESS"
Times Past and Times Passing "STUNNING VOCALS AND NUANCED GUITAR. A CAPTIVATING AND SIMPLY STUNNING ALBUM. EXPANSIVE AND ECLECTIC. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"
AntiMusic "HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL. SUBLIME. GREAT FOR LISTENING AT ANY TIME, LA SERENISSIMA PROVIDES THE PERFECT AMBIENCE FOR THE ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER TO IMAGINE THE DELIGHTS OF THE ALWAYS ENTICING VENICE"
Opera Wire "COMPOSER AND VOCALIST ESBE WILL RELEASE HER NINTH STUDIO ALBUM. NAMED AFTER THE CITY OF VENICE, THE MOST SERENE REPUBLIC"
Rootstime "ESBE SHOWCASES WHAT A FANTASTIC MUSICIAN SHE IS . . A MUSICAL MAGICIAN WHO HAS ONCE AGAIN MADE A FANTASTIC RECORD!"
CanardFolk "A BREATHTAKING ACHIEVEMENT" CD OF THE MONTH
Jazzquad "ESBE NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE . . EVEN MORE AMAZING THAN ANYTHING SHE HAS DONE BEFORE. GREAT ALBUM!"
Folk And Honey "ESBE PUTS HER UNIQUE STAMP ON POPULAR TRADITIONAL FOLK SONGS. SHE REALLY KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A MELODY HER OWN. A FASCINATING LISTEN!"
Richard Hageman, Radio WMNR "A PHENOMENAL VOICE COUPLED WITH IMPRESSIVE ARRANGEMENTS"
Monolith Cocktail "ARTFULLY COMPOSED . . SHOWCASES AN IMPRESSIVE TALENT. ABOVE ALL, ESBE BREATHES NEW LIFE, A NEW EXPERIENCE, WITHOUT LOSING EACH SONG'S CHARM, IMPACT OR GRACE"
Folking "ESOTERIC, ATMOSPHERIC AND HYPNOTIC, BEGUILING, INTOXICATING"
FolkWales "BRILLIANT ARRANGEMENTS . . JUST JAW-DROPPING" Thumbs up!
Westzeit "CLEVER INTERLACING OF THE MELODIES . ESBE BREATHES NEW, GENTLE LIFE INTO TEN FOLK CLASSICS"
Era Jazzu "A STYLISH CREATION. ESBE SHOWS HER DEXTERITY AND VOCAL INGENUITY . . AND HOW GREAT A CREATOR OF NEWS SOUNDS SHE IS. WONDERFULLY SUNG"
Spiral Earth " VOCAL FLAIR THAT MAKES YOU SIT UP AND LISTEN"
RnR “ESBE WEAVES HER DISTINCTIVE FAERY MAGIC . . SILVER CLARITY OF RIPPLING HARMONIES. ESBE IS RESTLESSLY ECLECTIC AND PROLIFIC, BURNISHING THE UNLIKELIEST MATERIAL WITH HER STARLIT LUSTRE"
Songlines "STRIKING AND FULL OF MELODIC SURPRISES. TERRIFICALLY CLEVER"
Ivan Rod "ESBE HAS CREATED NEW FASCINATING VERSIONS, UNEXPECTED HARMONIES AND PHRASING, AND SO THE EMOTIONS THEY EVOKE ARE THEREFORE ALSO NEW"
***** 5 stars Music News "EFFORTLESS BUT DEEPLY PASSIONATE . . ATMOSPHERIC, WIDESCREEN, YET, WITH AN INCREDIBLE INTIMACY, ESBE'S VOCALS WRAP THE WORDS IN SYRUP. SUPERB PRODUCTION, LIKE LISTENING IN I-MAX."
**** 4 stars RnR "ESBE'S VOICE DRIFTS IN SMOOTH CHEVRON SHIMMER OF HARMONY ECHOES, TO TOUCH WHERE WORDS DARE NOT VENTURE, YET WITH POETRY AS HIGH AND SINUOUSLY COOL AS A RENE MAGRITTE . . WITH HEART-STOPPING NEAR PURITY OF JULIE LONDON . . AND RIPPLING WILLIAM ORBIT-STYLE SPACIOUSNESS . . HYPNOTIC, BEGUILING."
Paul Davies, Blues Matters “A RARE DISCOVERY OF MUSIC PERFORMED BY A SINGULAR SONGSTRESS, EXQUISITELY TALENTED . . MULTI-FACETED COMPOSER . . INFUSED WITH LANGUID LONGING AND SMOULDERING PASSION . . A MASTERLY RECORDING, EVERY NOTE MAKES A LASTING MARK ON THE EAR."
Era Jazzu "AN ECLECTIC MIX OF INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE ORIGINAL ARRANGEMENTS . . A PERFECT MUSICIAN . . ESBE EXPANDS THE SOUND WITH A FLOURISH, BRINGING ARTISTIC ASSOCIATIONS CLOSER TO ILLUSTRATIVE, VISUAL AND FILM MUSIC."
Music Mecca "ESBE'S SPECTACULAR SENSE OF SOUND PRODUCTION AND SONG-WRITING IS ON FULL DISPLAY. SHE KNOWS HOW TO CRAFT SOUNDS TO CREATE SOMETHING UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE, A BREATH OF FRESH AIR."
**** 4 stars Amazon "POETIC, ATMOSPHERIC, AN UNUSUAL ALBUM WITH HARMONIC HAZE WORTHY OF A JAMES BOND FLICK."
The Sound Cafe "THE POETIC LYRICS DESERVE A SPECIAL MENTION, AS THEY SEAMLESSLY DRAW YOU IN, CREATING THE ATMOSPHERE OF A BIG BUDGET MOVIE SOUNDTRACK, IT REALLY IS QUITE A SPECIAL GIFT THAT ESBE POSSESSES . . ESBE HAS CREATED NOT JUST TEN WONDERFUL SONGS, BUT A COMPLETE WORK OF ART."
Take Effect "EXPLORING MOOD, TONALITY AND GROOVES WITH MUCH INTIMACY . . POETIC BEAUTY . HYPNOTIC, ARTISTIC . . ECHOING PORTISHEAD."
Lira Magazine "ESBE'S VOICE IS CAPTIVATING . . SHE CAN EASILY EVOKE BOTH THE WHISPERS OF PORTISHEAD'S BETH GIBBONS AND THE COOL JAZZ VOICE OF TWIN PEAKS' JULEE CRUISE . . BUT SHE IS IN A MELISMATIC CLASS OF HER OWN."
DJ Ritu, A World In London "ESBE HAS REALLY CONNECTED HEART AND MIND FOR SONGS THAT SPEAK UNIVERSALLY - LONDON SINGER SONGWRITER OF EXCELLENCE!"
Ramzine "ONE OF THE QUIRKIER ALBUMS YOU'LL HEAR IN 2022 . . A BEGUILING MIX OF INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. IF YOU'RE MUSICALLY CURIOUS IT'S AN ALBUM YOU OUGHT TO LISTEN OUT FOR."
Nick Gray, The Alternative 9 "AN ETHEREAL SONGSTRESS . . A SADE FOR 2022 WITH THE RIGHT MUSIC TO COMPLIMENT HER VOICE."
**** 4 stars Get Ready To Rock "AN EVOCATIVE ALBUM . . FULL OF DRAMA. BEAUTIFULLY EXPRESSIVE, SHE USES THE PURITY AND RANGE OF HER VOICE AS AN ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENT. SUCH A NATURAL VOICE . . BREATH-TAKING BEAUTY . . SHE'S CLEARLY STRUCK GOLD WITH LYRICS THAT FIT THE MUSIC PERFECTLY."
Total Rock Radio "SMOOTH JAZZ . . BEAUTIFUL."
Era Jazzu "INTERESTING, INNOVATIVE ARRANGEMENTS."
***** 5 stars InMusic InHard "ESBE IS A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL ARTIST, CAPTIVATING, MYSTERIOUS, ENCHANTING."
Blues And Roots Radio "STUNNING, EXCEPTIONAL."
Music Street Journal "A SMASHING SUCCESS!"
Music Mecca "ESBE SHOWCASES HER VIBRANT MUSICAL STYLE, INTRIGUING LUSH INSTRUMENTATION CREATES A NEW DYNAMIC, ATMOSPHERIC WITH ESBE'S VOCALS SHINING THROUGH."
The Static Drive "BOLD NEW VISION, DRAMATIC AND BEAUTIFUL."
Take Effect "DIVERSE, POWERFUL, ELOQUENT SINGING, A FUN HEARTFELT AND UNEXPECTED LISTEN YOU'LL WANT TO REVISIT OVER AND OVER."
Genevieve Tudor, BBC Radio Shropshire "ABSOLUTELY AMAZING."
DJ Debbie Golt, Outerglobe "SERIOUSLY LUSH SOUNDS."
Songlines "SOARING MELISMATIC VOCALS AND LAYERED ELECTRONIC PERCUSSION . . ESBE'S STRIKING VOICE AND SYNTHESIZED TEXTURES . . STRONG INSTRUMENTAL WRITING."
**** 4 stars R n R Magazine "BEAUTIFULLY HAUNTING . POSITIVELY CINEMATIC . . VIVID SOUNDSCAPES THAT BEAUTIFULLY RE-CREATE HER JOURNEY."
Lira Sweden "IMPRESSIVE INTENESE, MELISMATIC SINGING . . OCILLATES BETWEEN IMAGINABLE AND ADORABLE."
Westzeit "ADORABLE."
Elsewhere "BEGUILING."
Rootstime "CAPTIVATING AND BEAUTIFUL."
Monolith Cocktail "DIAPHANOUS-BREATHED ENCHANTRESS CONJURES UP . . FILMIC DRAMA OF UNFURLED BEAUTY . . EPIC . . A VOICE THAT SMOULDERS . . DREAMY SOUNDTRACK . . LUSHLY PERFORMED."
MYSTRA - DESERT SONGS - TEN SONGS - FAR AWAY
Prog Magazine "A RARE BLEND OF COLOURS AND MOODS . . ARRESTING BREW OF CLASSICAL, SAMPLES AND, RIDING ROMANTICALLY ACROSS IT, ESBE'S ELOQUENT VOICE . . SPELLBINDING STORIES FROM A LOST WORLD . . .EXUDING ENIGMA." (Mystra)
Folk Radio - Aaron Jackson "INTRIGUING AND POWERFUL . . ESBE'S VOICE IS A THING OF BEAUTY . . THE MORE YOU LISTEN, THE MORE YOU FIND. EXCELLENT." (Ten Songs and Far Away)
R n R Magazine "STARTLING SCOPE AND IMAGINATION . . .CAPACITY TO DELIGHT AND PERPLEX . . BREADTH OF ESBE'S VISION . . HUGELY ENJOYABLE." (Desert Songs)
"AN UNSWERVING MUSICAL VISION AND AN INNATE MUSICALITY . . INVENTIVE, DRAMATIC, UNEXPECTED, EMOTIONAL." (Mystra)
"HAUNTING AND AFFECTING." (Ten Songs and Far Away)
"ALMOST PAINFULLY BEAUTIFUL." (Hope EP)
Songlines - Nigel Williamson "DEBUTS DON'T COME MUCH MORE AMBITIOUS THAN THIS . . ESBE PULLS IT OFF WITH IMPRESSIVE STYLE . . BOLD AND DRAMATIC ARRANGEMENTS . . MUSIC AS ECLECTIC AS HER ROOTS." (Desert Songs)
Analogue Resistance "A BEAUTIFUL ALBUM . . OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY." (Desert Songs)
Northern Sky Magazine "ENGAGING MUSIC. . . TWELVE ENCHANTING SONGS" (Desert Songs)
Whisperin and Hollerin' "ARABESQUE TEXTURES OF THE RICHLY LAYERED ARANGEMENTS . . ENABLES ESBE TO USE HER VOICE AS A POWERFUL AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED INSTRUMENT . . AN ENIGMATIC AND POETIC TASTER . . LEAVES YOU INTRIGUED TO WANT TO HEAR MORE." (Hope EP)
Nick Gray, The Alternative 9 "FASCINATING DIVERSE ALBUM."