written by Chrs Familton

In recent years there has been a plethora of new female singer songwriters like Joanna Newsom and Feist emerging to much acclaim. You can add the curious name Lia Ices to that list as she has created a magical, meandering and hypnotic 2nd album in Grown Unknown.

Brooklyn-based Ices trades in pop-folk where subtle strains of soul, blues and jazz are woven through her songs – usually just below the surface. The result is a unique style that is hard to pin down. The focus of Ices songs are her voice and her piano. Around those central strengths she builds drama with well-placed percussion and layers of backing vocals. It really is a lush album that reveals itself slowly over repeated listens.

One of the highlights is the Daphne, a folk song that takes on a very Nick Drake form during its first half before transforming into a swaying 70s countrified feel with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon added his wounded deer harmonies.

Initially Grown Unknown could be dismissed as one dimensional with her prominent voice and most traveling at a restrained tempo. Spend the time though and her songs begin to emerge as robust and intricate pieces of writing, The handclaps of the title track bring to mind the creativity of some of Joni Mitchell’s work while the soft drone of New Myth shows she is devoted to building a mood as much as thrilling with dancing melodies.

Admittedly Ices doesn’t sustain her best moments across the whole album but she has made a very bewitching record. Think less annoying than Newsom, more adventurous and ethereal than Feist and Cat Power and though Kate Bush must surely be an influence, Ices uses the strength of understatement rather than Bush’s drama to draw the listener into her musical world.

this review first appeared in Drum Media