Sharon den Adel may be best known for her work fronting the epic Symphonic Metal outfit Within Temptation, but on Friday, April 20, 2018, she delivers up a slice of her ethereal new solo Pop project, My Indigo, and its self-titled album thanks to BMG.
As lead vocalist and founding member of Within Temptation, Sharon den Adel has sold millions of albums, seen well over 200-million streams on Spotify alone, and has more than half a billion YouTube views. With twenty-plus years and six full-length studio albums – ranging from 1997’s Enter to 2014’s Hydra – to her credit with the band, den Adel has toured the world and built a truly impressive and inspiring career in music. What more is there to say about this exceedingly talented woman?
Of course, if you can sing, if you possess one of those rare, truly soaring voices, then genre is no issue. Clearly, den Adel understands this. The Dutch singer-songwriter’s name may always be recognized as a Metal maven, but with My Indigo she steps into Pop with electronic flourishes and gentle beats that set the tone for her gorgeously natural storytelling. The ten-song collection prances across this catchy territory with a finesse that only a seasoned-performer could possess, offering up tracks that weave a multitude of beats and unique stories.
My Indigo begins with beautiful Pop sensibilities that intertwine through the electronically-dusted core of title-track, first single/video “My Indigo.” The ethereal sway of “Crash and Burn” seems the last place to inject a Bible quote, but there is one here (Luke 3:5) along with some jazzy flourishes that weave a well-rounded offering. Meanwhile, gentle percussion and den Adel’s vocals lace together on “Black Velvet Sun” to craft a beautifully worldly tale that set an infectious, danceable beat.
On the album’s fourth track, the gentle beat of “Indian Summer” weaves a modern, autumn fairy tale that sees the dead rising. Initially beginning as a piano ballad, “Out Of The Darkness” builds to a gentle sway, meandering around the siren’s call of den Adel’s delicately soaring vocals. Next, the rain clouds move in to introduce “Star Crossed Lovers,” a collision of strings and electronic beats that is a whimsical dance of love.
There is a gentle island beat to “Someone Like You,” an ode to a special someone, while the languid pace of “Safe And Sound” bubbles to the ears like champagne, kissing away the pain to build into a celebratory dance. The bold beat of “Lesson Learned” sees del Adel imparting wisdom (“I wouldn’t be here if it all made sense”) through elegant electronics. Ultimately, she ends with the female-empowerment lament, “Where Is My Love.”
On My Indigo, there is a Folk and Pop sensibility, yet a depth of layers that signals a background in Rock-n-Roll. A gifted songwriting with a knack for storytelling, den Adel has a respect for nature that permeates her lyrics, where she often turns to imagery fraught with animals (wolves, bluebirds, etc.) and beautiful landscapes. The end result is a gorgeous collection of music that is mature, adult Pop music that is danceable, sure, but it reaches farther lyrically and, as such, evokes emotion and thought. Wonderfully hypnotic, intelligently crafted, My Indigo proves that there is so very much more to Sharon den Adel, and we want to embrace it all! For these reasons, CrypticRock give My Indigo’s My Indigo 4 of 5 stars.
Purchase My Indigo:
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