Andreya Triana: Lost Where I Belong
The press release for Brighton, England-based vocalist, Andreya Triana‘s debut album starts with “soul singers are ten a penny”. Not exactly the line you want etched into the head of prospective reviewers. Of course, the release goes on to tell you how Andreya Triana is more than just a run of the mill soul singer, but in the end is she really?
I think the short answer is no. It is funny because I almost never read the press releases before I listen to an album. After listening to Lost Where I Belong, I thought of starting my review with the line “soul singers are a dime-a-dozen” but the press release tried to beat me to the punch. There are plenty of people in the world with pretty singing voices, unless you have a distinct voice (think Macy Gray). Unfortunately, Andreya Triana does not have a distinct voice. Without that voice, you need to stand out with either great songwriting, great production/instrumentation, or great lyrics. Lost Where I Belong does not have any of those elements.
That is not to say that Lost Where I Belong does not have its moments. Lead single and title track “Lost Where I Belong” is a jazzy soul tune that evokes strong memories of royalty like Nina Simone. The double bass and bossa nova beat give the song character but the hook still lacks the punch to make it a true pop song.
My favorite track on the album is “A Town Called Obsolete”. The funk drums give the song energy and a Rihanna “Umbrella” feel. The chorus features old school sampled horns that give the track a meshing of vintage and modern that is slightly haunting. The result is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of what Andreya Triana is capable of.
Unfortunately, rarely does Triana live up to her potential. The album falls sadly flat on most occasions leaving it as little more than easily overlooked background noise.
Rating: 4.7/10
MP3: Andreya Triana “A Town Called Obsolete”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!