Sachal – Slow Motion Miracles
Back in November, singer Sachal Vasandani premiered tracks from his new album “Slow Motion Miracles” in Berlin (see report on these pages). And now, his album is finally released. It was produced by Michael Leonhart, who also appears as recording engineer and mixer and is responsible for the overall programming including guitars, brass, keys, synths, and percussion.
The ten songs about love lost and found and conquered and anything in between are ten tight and chunky tunes all of them worth appearing in any Top 20 charts. Sachal’s voice perfectly fit the moods here. There are some cool keyboard sounds in the title track which somehow harkens back to the 80s with its synth layers courtesy of Taylor Eigsti. “Haystacks” is a catchy, tension-building tune with a brilliant hook and a compelling chorus. The overall feel of the songs really throws me back to the 80s, in a positive way.
Elsewhere, Sachal is doing multiple vocals like on another hook-laden groovy tune, “Cover The Water”, which has Mark Giuliana on drums and drum machines, he is changing to his head voice for the chorus in the charming “Afternoon Sun” which has Gerald Clayton on piano. There is a wonderful tune towards the end of the record: “Waiting On The Roof” has the potential to become a pop standard. It won’t leave your ear for a long time.
There is only one cover here: the Motown classic “Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)”, recorded by, among others, Gladys Knight & The Pips. And it shows that Sachal’s songs can hold up to the standard of some 60s archetypes. As many of the songs clock in at just under or around 3 minutes, I found myself wanting to let them go on a bit longer. But you can’t have everything.
Sachal will have his record release concert at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge on April 9th with most of the band from the album: Taylor Eigsti, Ryan Scott, Buster Hemphill, and Jeremy Dutton (the latter is not on the record; drums are by Nate Smith and Mark Giuliana).
