England-based by way of Paris and Cameroon singer-songwriter, Tiki Black, has released her first new album in eight years, the stunning The Sound Of The Broken Wand.
Inspired by the musical genius of icons from Frederic Chopin to Nina Simone, rising music artist Tiki Black is set to soar and inspire, using her raw and enriching musical talents to stimulate listeners out of the cocoons of their own imaginations. Over the years, she has been praised for her "impressive music" (FabOn, Japan), "warm, embracing and timeless" sound (Spiral Earth, England), and “gorgeous… truly memorable” songs (The Akademia, USA, Nov 2013 Music Awards).
Her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Sound Of The Broken Wand, has already garnered itself a Best Album nod since its digital release in December of 2021, as well as from performances of a number of its songs in the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany. Following this CD digipak release, a deluxe Book CD will arrive on February 22nd.
The artist took her time with this release, "I need the time to experience, feel, understand and translate", Tiki reveals. "I won't rush life for the sake of a song. I won't create a piece that I'm unhappy having to hear or perform for the rest of my life." This might be the secret in the depth of her writing, the haunting of her melodies and the praise she has been receiving for her recordings, writing and her performances.
The Sound Of The Broken Wand was recorded in the Grammy Award winning Parr Street Studios in Liverpool where record producer Russell Cottier is a resident. Cottier has worked for chart topping artists and labels such as The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sony, Sky TV, Nuclear Blast Records, Tamoki Wambesi Dove, Cavern Records, and many more.
With no filler on her new album, Tiki Black presents different flavors of separation, cutting the "umbilical cord" or as she refers to it, cutting the feed to enable growth. While "The Unscripted" comes to terms with such an emancipation in an original and refreshing tone, "Release Me" deals with the internal struggle to part from our own whims to regain control of our lives. The "Other Woman" is pure blues with the subtle touch of an operatic touch that explores and plays with the idea of the blame game. The title track, "The Sound of the Broken Wand," plays a haunting melody aimed to break more than a spell but its very source, the wand that spellbinds us into its world of shortcuts and instant gratification that hold us back from natural and positive growth.
The album clearly has various influences blended by Tiki Black, Russell Cottier, and a host of talented session musicians in a way that allows the singer-songwriter's signature voice to breathe in power and gentleness over the whole waves and the theme to express itself freely and uninhibitedly. That voice explores its spectrum of tones and releases its power and passion, especially in songs like "The Other Woman," "The Debt," "Colour Me Blue" and "The Crown's Crumbs." The songstress never shies away from any of the scales on which the substance of her songs requires her vocals to slide.
The album stands almost in defiance of the five-year hardship that delayed its completion and release. But through COVID-19, voice loss, and funding crisis, the music artisan made it to unleash a wonderfully crafted musical collection.