It’s been five years since Ngaiire delivered her outstanding sophomore album Blastoma, but she’s finally graced us with another LP, the aptly named 3. That’s a long time between releases in the music world, but perfection takes time. Her latest release is a thoughtful collection of music that’s impressed me every bit as much as the tunes that came before.
Ngaiire introduces us to her vocal chops with the lush title track. The album takes a left turn with “Shiver,” a cool soul-pop number with bounces along with an infectious rhythm. Beats give many of these tracks a fresh poppy feel. I found myself grooving along to tunes like “Takeover” and “Moonshine.” Just when you think you’ve figured the album out, she takes another left turn, stripping away the beats for the piano-driven, spoken word beauty of “Akura.” She follows it up with “Him,” a modern gospel anthem that shows another side of this talented performer.
Ngaiire is an artist who loves surprising us. I swear I heard the distinctive sound alert for train announcements layered under Ngaiire’s vocals in “Shoestring.” And why not? Her sound is complex but never confused. It can be out of the box, but delivered with such confidence that you happily go along for the ride. And it’s all anchored by that incredible voice, dripping with soul, an honest expression of her heart. So many singers these days push their vocals, as if they want to prove to us that they can sing all the notes and do all the runs. Ngaiire is a lot more understated, ensuring that it’s her message that takes centre stage rather than the notes she hits.
Ngaiire set such a high bar for herself with Blastoma, but 3 is every bit as good. If you loved the music that came before, you’re going to adore this. If you’re yet to discover how special Ngaiire is, there’s no time like the present. Unless this nasty virus gets in the way, Ngaiire will tour 3 around Australia and New Zealand later this year. Here are all the dates you need:
5 November 2021 – Altar Bar, Hobart
6 November 2021 – The Croxton, Melbourne
7 November 2021 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
12 November 2021 – City Recital Hall, Sydney
18 November 2021 – The Gov, Adelaide
19 November 2021 – The Rosemount Hotel, Perth
25 November 2021 – The Tuning Fork, Auckland
26 November 2021 – Meow, Wellington
4 December 2021 – UC Hub, Canberra
13 January 2022 – The Triffid, Brisbane
Images used with permission from Remote Control Records; main photo credit: Dan Segal