REVIEW: Olive, Extra Virgin (RCA)
- Joann D. Ball
Olive is keyboardist Tim Kellett and vocalist Ruth-Ann Boyle. This dynamic duo from Northern England produce a distinct sound that is best described as trip-pop, since it unites the ethereal stylings of trip-hop with melody. More than just ambient sounds, Olive combines an adventurous mix of drum 'n' bass, jungle and reggae dub with British soul on their debut release Extra Virgin.
Combining current forms of British dance music with soul is a natural move for Olive, given Kellett's tenure as keyboardist for Simply Red and Ruth-Ann's rich and sensual vocals. What is unexpected, though, is the use of horns which add a jazzy touch and the incorporation of live strings. The strings are courtesy of The Duke Quartet, which last added the classical touch to the Pretenders' stripped-down offering The Isle of View.
The variety of ingredients makes Olive's musical cocktail extremely pleasurable and listenable. But the twelve tracks on Extra Virgin are meant to be much more than pretty background music. Complementing the instrumentation are intelligent and insightful lyrics which engage the listener. Kellett writes from a feminine point of view, and Ruth-Ann interprets his words with incredible emotion and feeling. The result is a collection of stories about such universal human experiences as longing ("This Time"), love ("Falling"), adultery ("Curious") and relationships ("You Are Nothing").
The first single and smash hit from Extra Virgin, is the intoxicating "You're Not Alone." Featuring Ruth-Ann's almost a capella vocal over strings and a dub beat, the song stands out from anything currently in rotation at American alternative and dance music radio. A follow-up single has not yet been selected, but there are at least several more excellent choices here, including the bright, upbeat "Outlaw." Despite being extremely radio friendly, the songs on the release still have a hip club vibe, making them ripe for dancefloor remixes.
But the essence of Olive is best experienced in long form. As a complete collection of twelve beautiful soundscapes, Extra Virgin is a trip-pop relish from the slow grooves of "Miracle" to "I Don't Think So," the final track which ends with the demo version of "You're Not Alone."
