Angela Moyra

Fickle Island

This is what happens when a jazz singer slinks into a coffee shop and plays around with an acoustic guitar. Dutch singer Angela Moyra’s US debut is distinctive for how surprising it is. This is a tropical cabaret show better suited for a tiki bar for those who are ready to unplug and disconnect from the maddening crowd. Sure Moyra noodles around with pop, and ragtime, and she seems overly fond of the ukelele, but this is refreshing as it is different and unexpected.

“Fickle” bounces along brightly with a pedal steel underscoring her dreamy lighter than air voice.

And “Bubbalu” could be straight from Tin Pan Alley. Playful, animated, and mostly irresistible.

“Little Town By The Sea” is quiet song of tender longing. But with “Hati Sakit.” Moyra’s voice here is tormented, and quietly resigned. The most serious song on the disc, it’s a thoroughly vexed folk song.

Overall these songs are sunny, upbeat and ever hopeful. Light and breezy, these salt soaked melodies designed for decompressing.