British singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin has already got a fan following through her acoustic covers on YouTube, three EP releases, and a UK tour. All this by the age of 20. This her debut album charted at number two in the UK. Aplin sings songs that are very acoustic-folk-pop, her signature sound, a far link to her more popular peers who use EDM and hip hop these days.

With a charming voice, it’s a pity that Aplin had to break off her hit parade with The Power Of Love a cover song of the 80s group Frankie Goes To Hollywood. The song and her music were driven more by the popularity it received thanks to it being featuring in a John Lewis advertisement over Christmas 2012. Nevertheless Aplin has done a good job of the song, and it is quite surely one of the best songs on the album due to the combination of the piano and haunting lyrics. It is easy to see why this song made it to number one. The title of the album English Rain is fitting as the idea is that Aplin is an English rose singing pure pop ballads with simple arrangements. Aplin sings with such passion and the maturity that her sweet lisping in a few tracks is incredible.

As a debutant, Aplin has excelled in the songwriting department. That’s because she writes her own lyrics, even though at times she has shared writing credit with Nick Atkinson. Majority of the songs centre around relationships, making the songs very relatable to the listeners. On Keep on Walking with its heavy drum beat, she goes “I feel so much better when you’re not around, there’s no one to kick me while I’m down”. The songcould address anyone who is pulling you down or has no respect for you. On How do you feel today she has used imaginary into her song when she says... “The night has a thousand eyes”. But she can get slightly repetitive in the final tune of the 12 album set. On Start of time, the line it’s like the sun came out is repeated many times in the song. After the song and a long pause, you have a bonus track Take me Away, that closes the album.

At the very first listen, the ice breaker is Gabrielle’s soothing vocals. Her style is high pitched which makes her dreamy voice sound sweet and soft. Take Salvation that has loads of instruments backing her, but at every juncture as the violin, piano and light drumming build up, her vocals too jump a notch higher.

Aplin is one lucky individual who has managed to get a good team to work with, a team who has done justice to her songs. Most of the songs have those catchy hooks that we all look out for. Being a light acoustic based slow jam set, you have just the right instruments to go along with Aplin’s soft vocals.

Just like all those teen stars around, she too has her musical talents at the right place and her debut filled with balladic styled songs is something that will bring her much fame and fans.

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira