I don’t often listen to soul, but there’s always a place for it somewhere inside a stressy week, when heads need soothing and ears caressing with a minimum of fuss and maximum of groove.
I don’t often blog about soul either, but this emerging London talent’s so good I’m compelled to make an exception. Valentina somehow sounds both young and full of wisdom at once, and her three songs on MySpace have a gorgeous, cool simplicity, pleasant arrangements around a very capable voice. The best is Heart of Glass, not a Blondie cover but in fact a mournful-sounding slower number anchored on a potent piano, with some gospel-like oohing and aahing in the background, but I also like the zestier Dulcimer Song a lot too.
With the news that she’s apparently been working with renowned producer Kwes – explaining why she sounds quite so slick quite so soon – I’d say Valentina’s a racing certainty for 2010 fame. (She’s very good-looking too, which won’t hurt.) You heard it here first (hopefully). Some upcoming live dates after the picture…
Live dates
Thurs 19 November – The Distillers, Hammersmith
Fri 20 November – The Gallery Cafe, Bethnal Green
Wed 25 November – The Flowerpot, Kentish Town (details here)
Valentina on MySpace
MP3: Valentina – Heart of Glass (demo) (zSHARE) This has been very kindly provided by the charming Valentina and is still, she points out, a mere demo. EP version out in early 2010.