PANDA SU - Sticks And Bricks CD-EP

To a stark backing of what sounds like a metronome and a ringing guitar, Panda Su's vocal sounds warm, deliberate, heartfelt and rich, pouring out the lyrics with a kind of hypnotic stillness. To this setting is added chunky drums and more guitar as the vocal rises up a notch, become multi-tracked for added effect and then the vocal stops as a short sample of recorded voices is heard in the distance, only for Su to return with a wordless chorus against the chunky drums and chiming guitars, soon returning to the deliberate nature of the verses as that gorgeous emotive vocal just soothes your soul and bathes your heart with joy. But then the vocal fades in an echo as the guitars and drums are joined by what sounds like a cross between an accordeon and a harmonium, as the multi-tracked lead vocal, in short bursts of hook, take the track to a wondrously delicate end. That is “Eeric Is Dead”. “Pot Kettle Black” starts with just soothing acoustic guitar as that richly textured, purring vocal delivers the verse with a half-spoken languid nature which slowly unfolds as a drum beats and the whole thing proceeds at funereal pace which is perfect on a song so optimistic. The vocal switches between lead and multi-tracked, almost like having two vocals trading off and combining with each other. Bell-like percussion is added to the mix as the delightful exoticism of the instrumental backing veers between fragile and slightly more forceful, the song and the vocal full of emotion, from yearning angst to almost purposeful wistfulness. A joy to hear!!
“Moviegoer” is a wonderful song with solid, slow-paced chunky drums, delicate acoustic guitars, tinkling percussives, an undercurrent of bass flow and a soaring sea of those gorgeously warm-hearted, rich-sounding, emotive vocals, delivered with an air of relaxation and languidity, on a song that just makes you feel glad to be alive. “My Sorry Little Heart” ends the EP with a more – for her – biting edge, a lyric delivered with deliberate intention, as the initial strains of acoustic guitars are embellished by the chunky drums, multi-tracked vocals and keyboard/perc delicacy, the song moving forward in a hail of mid-paced lead and multi-tracked vocals, bursting with sorry emotion. All in all, it's absolutely riveting stuff from a lady with a highly unique and individual vocal style that makes you want to listen to it over and over again, while the instrumental backing, for all its sparseness, is tasty, emotive, solid and detailed, on songs that are the epitome of heart-on-sleeve lyrics delivered with an almost lazy, seemingly uncaring but deep inside impassioned vocal style. It's fantastic and no mistake!!
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