Album Review: Neneh Cherry – ‘Blank Project’

Possibly one of the most anticipated albums of recent times, the legendary Neneh Cherry has unveiled her new album ‘Blank Project’.

The album starts off with a poetic reading, which then morphs into the first track from the album ‘Across The Water’. A slow drum beat is the only backing to Cherry’s vocals, giving a very stripped back sound to ease us into her new work. The lyrics and simplicity combined evoke an almost tribal poem.

The next track up on the album is the title track ‘Blank Project’ which immediately steps everything up a gear with a punchy bassline that thumps in and immediately wakes you out of the calm you’ve previously been lulled into. ‘Blank Project’ is filled with venom and sass, telling tales of a difficult relationship.

By the third track of the album, ‘Naked’, we really start to hear Cherry play with her vocals in her signature way, really using her voice as an instrument. ‘Spit Three Times’ enters with a bass slap reverberating over and over, again stripped back at first, with her poetic lyrics, that refers to superstition as she sings “superstitious, spit three times over ma shoulder”. The track plods through, without much power about it, apart from the lyrics.

What drives throughout this album is the grungy basslines, that make you feel as if you’re watching Cherry take to the stage in a dingy basement as the band play flawless riffs of the early ’90s Post-Punk. Always one to innovate and subvert the conventions of music, Cherry mixes up her style of poetry, speaking, whaling and breathless vocals.

The title ‘Blank Project’ sums up the album very well, due to its sparseness and minimalistic sound. Produced by Four Tet, the album also holds the characteristics of the experimental producer. Also on the album, Cherry collaborates with Swedish singer Robyn on track, ‘Out Of The Black’ as they sing back to back, and then together. The addition of Robyn’s sickly sweet vocals works flawlessly alongside Cherry’s rougher, more soulful voice.

Towards the end of the 10 track album, the pace picks up a little with jutting rhythms and more major scales, resolving the earlier minor element present at the beginning of the ‘Blank Project’ journey. ‘Everything’ finishes up the album nicely and neatly, bringing the musical excursion to a noisy end after the nakedness of the beginning of the album, feeling as if she decided to use all her tools after all.