This
fine debut album from Amsterdam based
singer-songwriter Giovanca Ostiana has been a long
time coming as the lady who also just happens to be
an actress, fashion model and MTV presenter has been
too busy! Still, it has been well worth the wait.
Around since March in Europe this is a stunning
debut of fresh, feel good soulful and jazzy tunes.
Produced by blue-eyed soul boy
Benny Sings and released on the strong dutch
independent Dox record label the whole album is full
of tunes that have huge hit potential if it wasn't
for the fact that they ooze class out of every note.
On the slow and instantly catchy ballad
'Melancholic You' Giovanca sounds very much
like Minnie Ripperton in both voice, phrasing and
production and to prove that this is not a fluke the
fullness of her voice becomes even more like
Ripperton in the following track the delightful
'Pure Bliss'.
The ability to create songs of
this quality which also have the knack of being
instantly memorable is extremely rare and is
enhanced by the new beats and samples of producer
Benny Sings. The uptempo tracks are just as good.
There is funk in 'You can do it'; latin in
'Free,' RnB in 'Stay Together' and
soul in 'Matter of fact'
Yet know matter what the genre it
is all linked together by the ability to structure
tunes that have a lasting melody that will continue
to linger in your head for many days after playing
them. There may be contradictions in some of the
lyrical content of the songs but there is absolutely
no contradictions to be heard in the music. It's
just sophisticated soul at it's most eclectic.
