Dalston’s Cafe Oto is always a great place to catch some under-the-radar musical talent - and that’s definitely true of this Tuesday, when Holly Throsby is playing.
She comes blessed with a voice as delicate as fine porcelain and sheer as the glass in champagne flutes. The backdrop is either percussion or stringed and perhaps winged instruments, but the more prominent element each time is a real sense of silence, of space and fairytale simplicity. There are echoes of Joanna Newsom, but Holly’s music is more serene and graceful. It’s music for red wine, cushions and winter nights; for break-ups and introspection.
Holly hails from Sydney, and has released three full length albums since 2004. She’s garnered acclaim and awards down under, but the success has never been replicated overseas, despite her touring with the likes of Newsom, Devendra Banhart , Mark Kozelek (he of Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon). It’s probably due to the sheer abundance of songstresses around, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t well worth checking out. She is.
Live date:
Tues 22 September – Cafe Oto, Dalston (details and tickets here)
Holly Throsby on MySpace
MP3: Holly Throsby - A Heart Divided (zSHARE)
MP3: Holly Throsby – On Longing (zSHARE)