Album Details

• Artist: Mississ
• EP:
Sissita's Soul Tangos
• Label: SeaLight
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: carlito on 2010-10-24

What do you get when you pair up an Austrian soul singer with a Buenos Aires based producer, then have the project mastered by someone who has worked with both Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige?  [Drum roll, please] You get Sissita's Soul Tangos, that's what.  MisSiss, (or Sissita) has accomplished to cross geographical boundaries both literally and musically.  The result is a fusion of styles, most notably soul and tango.   

Right from the opening track "All of You", you recognize immediately that this EP will be more of a musical journey than something you just throw on while cleaning; maybe listening while driving would be more appropriate.  Each song has tons of changes and subtle nuances that add to its overall richness.  Simply skimming through the record will cause you to miss all the different textures represented on it.  As far as instruments, you'll hear anything from guitars and piano to accordion, violins and synthesizers (to name a few).  

Be prepared for a much bigger sound than what you're used to - one that carries its own particular mood and vibe.  Might not be what you're looking for at the moment, then again, it just might be.  Any one of these songs can be handpicked for a massive Broadway production.  It possesses an enchanting quality, a magic that blurs the line between dreams and reality.  "Nightmares", for example, opens up with an accordion, some synthesizer, followed by some distorted drum sample programming, creating an eerie effect to set the mood before Sissita comes in smoothing it over with her voice.

There are beautiful piano solos sprinkled throughout this collection.  One such solo is found after the intro of my personal favorite on the album, "Far More".  The piano part follows a wonderful mood setting sonic bed of strings and accordion.  The soul on this one just oozes out of its pores.  It's especially evident with the chorus, "And now I need you, far more than is good for me, far more than you will ever need me, far more than you deserve me."  The ooh-ooh from the backup singers are like icing on an already well made cake.

In the end, Sissita's Soul Tangos is a collection of heartfelt soulful tunes that are all at once elegant, beautiful, and haunting.  The compositions don't seem to follow any easily recognizable formula.  The last song is "Love and Music" (not even two minutes long) where Sissita sings "Love and music made it possible to cross the whole world for a warm embrace."  And now here we are, far away from Austria, miles away from Buenos Aires, and we listen to Sissita pour her love into her music, and indeed, we offer up our warm embrace.  

User Reviews and Comments