Liam Singer
Nine Ten
Hidden Shoal Recordings

"Nine Ten" is the second single to promote Liam Singer's new album Arc Iris (his fourth, launched on July 11th), and along with its predecessor Stranger I Know they're good ambassadors for Singer's pop HQ.

Liam Singer's elegant and low-toned chamber pop holds you gently, carefully caressing your skin. Even though I think "Stranger I Know" is a slightly better song than "Nine Ten", they both are high level pop music of the discreet kind. "Nine Ten" opens with a misty piano, and the song follows a soft beat, with Singer's silky voice (somewhere between Morrissey, Sufjan Stevens and Stephin Merritt), topped with beautiful backing vocals from Wendy Allen (of Boxharp). The result is indeed lovely and leaves you comfortably numb.

"Nine Ten" is 2 minutes 35 seconds of grace. From the man named as "...the Erik Satie of 21st century indie-acceptable classical music..." (by Tome To The Weather Machine).

Copyright © 2013 Håvard Oppøyen