Emily Jane White - Ode To Sentience (Album Review)
Thursday, 03 February 2011
Written by Jonny Rimmer
To call 'Ode to Sentience' a “road album”, could perhaps seem a little insulting, given its Americana tinge, but it is certainly a rewarding journey.
Indeed, the somewhat unadventurous guitar reverb and cello creates a sombre atmosphere that is fallen back on throughout the 40 minutes here, often as soon as White stumbles upon a particularly interesting section to the music.
However it is her lingering alto that gives a number of these songs the warmth and atmosphere that they would not evoke otherwise. There’s an overwhelming sense of loss on some of these tracks, with White’s poetic voice occasionally as vulnerable as “I never loved you darling. And that’s all you can say”.
Vocally, White is quite reminiscent of Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes) or Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) but there is also an almost ghost-like orientation towards Kate Bush at times that works rather well. The exact adeptness of her singing is more obvious on the empowering 'Requiem Waltz' and the wonderful 'Black Silk'.
Musically, this album does perhaps suffer from repetition. The strings that compliment the majority of these tracks sound almost fatigued as the album draws to a close, which is a shame as initially, they merely compound the sombre atmosphere that White tries to convey.
The strongest tracks on the record feature piano, rather than the favoured acoustic guitar, and 'I Lay to Rest (California)' particularly impresses with an ascending melody mid-way through signifying the emotional yearning that this album tries to present.
Whilst 'Ode to Sentience' lacks dynamics and variation, it must be remembered that this is predominantly a folk record. What Emily Jane White perhaps lacks in ambition is made up by the fact that this isn’t mood music; there are songs on here that simply reach the desired emotional pitch perfectly.
Stereoboard Album Rating: 7/10
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However it is her lingering alto that gives a number of these songs the warmth and atmosphere that they would not evoke otherwise. There’s an overwhelming sense of loss on some of these tracks, with White’s poetic voice occasionally as vulnerable as “I never loved you darling. And that’s all you can say”. 
