There is absolutely no reason that an album full of creative vocals over minimalist compositions can’t be a great record – provided it is well arranged and produced. Santigold and Goldfrapp can both attest to this fact. That being said, Aquamarine by Ámaris released on June 27th, 2018, has a lot of potential, but ultimately misses the mark. The problem is that it lacks a certain something in regard to the song production.
Let me first address the good stuff. For example, the way Ámaris integrates elements of pop with electronic components is both pleasant and entertaining. As a result, the melodies throughout the album are refreshingly unusual. The raw and bare-bones production, which is an asset in this particular instance, give the album an approachable kind of simplicity from a musical standpoint. I really like “London Lights” and “Kiss It or Leave It” for this very reason.
Ámaris also has a nice voice that fits well with her type of music. So, she clearly she has a good foundation on which to build.
My issue with the album stems from the way she layered her vocals on a lot of the songs. Individually, most of the 12-tracks have something to offer. But, when the album is listened to in full, the auditory experience can quickly become monotonous; Ámaris has a crisp voice, which when excessively layered, creates an over-saturation of sounds. Coupled with the fact that she tends to experiment with her singing, the resulting effect is a little overwhelming.
While I understand that she may be doing this to balance out the simplicity of the music, to me, the album lacks a certain amount of variety in regard to the singing and production styles. But, to be fair, I do think that some of her tracks would be cool to listen to in a mix or at a club. Considering the fact that the 26-year old, London- based singer wrote all of the songs and the music, as well as produced the album, she is someone to watch moving forward. Check out more from Aquamarine.
Note* Album provided for objective review by our partners.