• Band / Artist : Mieka Pauley
• Genre : Pop / Folk / Rock
• Sample Track Download : Stronger
• Buy CD : AwareStore
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 8.5 out of 10

With an abundance of talented female vocalists, it takes someone special to stand out from the crowd. Mieka Pauley is someone special. With her smokey, fractured voice, once again I’m like a deer in the headlights, only able to concerntrate on the music I hear. I have a soft spot for female vocalist, but have a real soft spot, when the voice has that sensual sexiness to it, while at the same time having a slightly raw edge. That is probably the best way I can describe the voice of Mieka Pauley.

This EP is a great introduction with some very strong tracks. Opening with Stronger, I can almost lose my self in it and imagine I’m watching an MTV video of it. That is, if I still watched MTV, which has lost it’s way since the 1990’s when I used to watch it most. Anyway, I’m off topic again. “The Way It Is” is probably my favorite track on the EP. It has one of those hooks that reels you in, as indeed do many of the tracks, offset against a bittersweet canvas. In fact most of the EP has an angels facing demons feel to it. It’s way lighter than melancholic, but just has that dark twist that’s hard to explain. “Faster” is another track that has chart single, written all over it. “First Stone” and “Draped in Blue” round the EP off nicely.

This is Mieka’s third release, but is my introduction to her. I’m interested to hear how an album that follows this EP would sound. I’d also love to hear some of these songs acoustically, as I think they would sound amazing. It’s hard when reviewing great music, not to use the same adjectives, again and again. So I won’t. Bloody T’riffic!

Conclusion : A beautiful sound and some incredible tracks. Pair that with a name that’s hard to forget and this makes one compelling purchase.