Sarah Blasko - Eternal Return (2015)

There’s always been something about Australian songstress Sarah Blasko: it’s not just her sophisticated yet raw vocal style, but the very life that resonates from her music. She’s a multi ARIA Award-winning artist with platinum selling albums and her talent has always oozed from the speakers and into your soul. Blasko is back with her fifth studio album Eternal Return and we’ve been informed that her new music is more intimate and emotional than ever.

Blasko has left the strings and classical influences behind in favour of a more easy-going backdrop: album opener I Am Ready is the perfect introduction to her latest direction with its prominent synth arrangement and a lessening of poetic imagery in her lyrics. Sarah cites artists like Michael Jackson and Diana Ross among others as influences for the album: songs like I’d Be Lost and Better With You has an aura that sounds like a few pieces of the 80s and now meshed together.

Sarah said she had Tina Turner in mind as she recorded Beyond which sounds like a song that fellow singer Kimbra would conjure. The sweet moments on this album count as Blasko trills over the loving Only One: then you have the deeper occasions like Without that gives Eternal Return a sleek finish. The directness of the lyrics on this album is definitely a highlight. Sarah’s deepest thoughts are on show here for all to interpret.

Sarah Blasko never ceases to impress with each album release: Eternal Return can easily be welcomed by fans with open arms, it’s amazing how diverse she can be with each LP. This sound is a side to Blasko that had yet to be seen as she usually shrouds herself with curious lyrics and clasically-influenced pop melodies. Her contribution to synth-pop is to be admired and desired