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Download "Finger on the Dirty Pulse" pdf Finger on the Dirty Pulse Elise Phillips reviews Ember Swift’s latest release.
Ember Swift (and yes, that actually is her real name) is a Canadian singer-songwriter with a passion to make a difference in the world through her music. “The Dirty Pulse” is the ninth release on her own independent label, “Few’ll Ignite Sound”, and is an eclectic mix of folk, reggae, jazz and funk. Swift’s smooth, jazzy vocals and upbeat rhythms allow her political views and social commentary to shine through without preaching or weighing the music down. She clearly has a positive outlook and a sense of humour, as evidenced by her song “Ten Pin” – a tribute to the therapeutic joys of ten pin bowling.
Ember Swift has resisted the usual commercial path in favour of maintaining her independence and her ideals. She is a committed activist and has taken part in several international panels on sustainability in independent music, healthy touring, and women in music among others. She really puts her money where her mouth is, and is not only a talented singer – she has a voice.
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It’s refreshing to see a young, female artist whose primary talent is not looking good in a bikini and shaking her booty. Unfortunately, that’s probably why you have never heard of Ember Swift.
“The Dirty Pulse” is instrumentally rich, despite the fact that the band contains only three members, and there are plenty of new things to listen to on each subsequent playing of the album. However, while the lyrics and melodies are well-crafted and interesting to listen to, for me the songs lack that certain something; the hook which draws you in.