Naarm/Melbourne singer Issi released her debut CD secret heart this week. She has often referred to herself as the former theatre kid turned pop star, and you can hear this from the first notes of the record in the jangling piano and the big theatrical vocals on opening (and title) track secret heart .
It soon eases into a more crooning ballad about a hidden love, yet this interplay of genres becomes a mainstay of the album and most tracks continue to carefully tread the line between musical theatre and pop, drawing on each to create Issi’s unique sound.
The theme of the album is heartbreak, yearning and unrequited love and this flows heavily through many of the songs, but it’s not an album that leaves you feeling sad. Even when the lyrics are despairing at times, the music carries notes of hopefulness and most songs grasp onto joy or acceptance at some point keeping the overall narrative more balanced.
In many ways it’s a very mature sounding album for someone of Issi’s age. The vocals are big, and it carries this air of experience that just alludes to it being a release from someone more established in their career. I’m sure this is in no small part due to the guidance of her mentor and label owner Rick Price, who also features on the album in duet Heaven Knows. It results in a cohesive, confident sounding record, but I hope with her first album now under her belt Issi will feel brave enough to let go a little on future releases, allowing for something a little more raw, messy or free flowing to emerge.
There are glimmers of this on secret heart and you can definitely hear it more in the second half of the record. Final track voice memo 3 is a great example of taking that bit of a risk. This one definitely feels like a glimpse behind the polished curtain of Issi as a performer, and it’s easily my favourite track on the record. It’s a fantastic little surprise to end the album and I enjoyed its more ‘rough and ready’ demo like quality.
You can listen to secret heart here.
And follow along with Issi here.