Andrissa Reviews
Andrissa are a South Australian duo with a CD out called ‘Essence.’ Their stuff is ambient chill-out music and they have already got some support from the States. Triton records are promoting them and they also have some support over there to get their stuff on film and TV. You can really hear this sort of stuff being used in film or TV.
I don’t know how they gained the U.S support but it should be a reminder to any Oz bands no matter what musical style, to send stuff to the States (or U.K and Europe) because there is a huge market Overseas and Australia is just a drop in the ocean compared to it and you never know who will be interested. (Of course sending stuff to like-minded individuals is important, eg-don’t send pop music to a metal label, etc!).
The duo consists of Melissa-Vocals and lyrics and Andrew-Music. It’s obvious where they got their band name from! They sent me two CDs. An EP and a 17-track album, but the EP has the same tracks as the album. This is, as stated before, ambient chillout stuff.
Track 2 ‘Sun (let me be)’ has record scratches throughout. An effect I have heard quite a bit lately on new releases. Are we missing the old days of scratchy vinyl? (I must admit I’ll always miss the fact records were SO BIG and you could really see the artwork, but I don’t think I missed the scratchyness!). ‘Tomorrow’ has some nice piano throughout and a good feel to it. Melissa’s vocals are soulful and melodic. ‘Below’ is a smooth instrumental and would sound cool as part of a film score while ‘Speed’ is interesting with samples of tragic news stories throughout while Melissa hums in the background. Last track ‘Use Me’ features only acoustic guitar and vocals, proving that sometimes less can be more.
With this sort of stuff you do need a huge production and it probably suffers a bit because it does not have that, although the band are aware of this and hope to eventually give this CD the production it deserves.
Kath – Australian Music Review, December 2002
Well, here’s an Adelaide act I simply have never heard about. Yet the talent that is Andrissa’s would make one think they’d have their names out more… maybe they’re just a really new band?
Essence is a 17-track album demo, mainly full of simple electro grooves and keyboard waves (with the occasional sample thrown in), all revolving around (sitting comfortably under or interlaced with) strong female vocals (often multi-layered). The rest are either straight out ballad, a chilled out instrumental, or more drums/bass/guitar orientated tracks.
After a few listens, this CD seems to uncontrollably move at times towards an independent edge and pure commercial songwriting.
G-Man ‘Rip It Up’ June 2002