Clara Montocchio - My Vreemde Kind (2024) Hi Res

When listening to “My Vreemde Kind”, we are treated to the very best a debut album can offer: songwriting that is innovative yet firmly grounded in tradition, masterful instrumentation and - above all - Clara’s captivating and fascinating voice, drawing us in as she does, both as a singer and storyteller.

This album resonates within our innermost emotional landscapes. While each song bears an unmistakeable cultural signature, what remains is the invitation to immerse ourselves in imagery that speaks to us individually when we listen closely. Clara’s voice flows seamlessly, shifting in direction sometimes close, sometimes distant, sometimes from above, as if from another realm. Together with her fellow musicians, she crafts soundscapes that are both expansive and immersive, weaving between the rich textures of American singer-songwriter roots and the ethereal, striking vistas of South Africa’s Western Cape. The lyrics unfold with a delicate poetry, blending the dreamlike with the straightforward honesty of a child.

This album is full of surprises and unexpected layered nuances - even within the echoes of waves she finds a way to depict the wind, brought to life by guest musicians on wind instruments. Each song relates its own tale yet all are part of a larger narrative arch that culminates in a lullaby - a ballad to the “strange, unknown child” who, after a long journey, is ready to rest. Even still, the rhythms that carry this child through the album remain strong - even though her heart can rest, it goes on beating as strongly as ever.