We have come to know Lisabel for her forays into soulful pop and brighter neo-soul territories, giving us a pretty holistic view of her skilful artistry and heightened musicianship; it’s clear that she’s an elite singer and a visionary creative. Yet, the London-based songstress still manages to impress us, delivering a deeply elegant and intimate EP – ‘Snapshot’ – crafted with fellow musician and pianist Chris Bland.
The overarching concept is simple yet effective: pairing piano and vocals for a slice of pure, unfiltered jazz and soulful goodness. The record’s main strength lies in its recording process. Relying on a single AEA R88 stereo ribbon microphone, engineer and producer Nikola Kovačević was able to capture a raw, nuanced performance that transcends its own potential. Suddenly, it’s as if we were in the same room as Lisabel and Chris Bland. Just there, sat next to such an expressive piano and such cathartic vocals.
Delving deeper into the ethos behind ‘Snapshot’ (aptly titled), Lisable explains: “We wanted to capture the magic of a live moment. There’s something beautiful in the imperfections and spontaneity of playing a song all the way through without edits—it tells a more human story.” The listening experience is so unique that once it’s all said and done, a doubt arises: was any of it real? To find the answer, we must press play again and again…
Recommended! Discover ‘Snapshot’ on Spotify: