Murmurs by Caroline

Following the critical and fanatical praise of last year's otherworldly "Where's My Love" single, Tokyo, Japan's Caroline releases her enchanting debut album. Murmurs is a thing of blessed beauty that defies easy description. It is nearly impossible to attach words to the supernatural brilliance of Caroline's songs. From the weeping trumpet and innocent lyrical sentiments of opener "Bicycle" to the cinematic tide of "Winter" - whose orchestral weight and lyrical hopefulness threaten to crush the listener from the inside-out - Murmurs is a truly masterful album. No samples were used: dozens of live acoustic instruments - pianos, harps, bells, guitars, strings and hand drums - are shaped around Caroline's crystalline voice and threaded together by warm bass and dense beats. With a transcendence that could give you chills on a blistering summer day just as easily as it could warm your body on a bitterly cold night, it's no wonder Caroline has developed a reputation as queen of the "snow jams."