Music
Store

1. Empathy *****
2. Instinct *****
3. Solace (U.S Greatest Hits) ****
4. And if you can find the singles with the B-sides definitley Do so!


Exquisite "Empathy"   November 29, 2004
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

"You couldn't even bring yourself/ To stay, oh no/You had to go," Nicola Hitchcock sings accusingly in "Empathy," the fourth and final release by British trip-hop group Mandalay. Sounding a bit like a dreamier version of Portishead, "Empathy" is enchantingly smooth music coupled with Hitchcock's breathy vocals.

It starts off with the string-led ballad "This Life," before heading off into softer, dreamier territory, such as the trippy, sensuous "Flowers Bloom" ("Kisses my shoulder/Cradles his body/Behind mine/Shin to toe to thigh to mind..."), the airy piano ballad "Insensible," and the wistful "Beautiful." Only a few have sharper electronic sounds, like the bouncy trip-hop "Kissing the Day."

"Empathy" leans a bit more on the trip-hop than the pop edge, with a bit of symphonic grandeur mixed in with the horns and strings (or electronic approximations of them). This is definitely music to slow-dance to -- the sweet tone and abundance of love songs demands it.

Hitchcock's voice is the centerpiece of Mandalay. Her singing is a bit trembly and very sweet, like a lost child; the wispy vocals in "Insensible" add to the feel of frightened innocence. And her songs are well-suited -- they're a bit high-school-love-poetry in their simplicity, but they are quite pretty, especially when they stay simple. "Do you know you're beautiful?/You are, yes you are, you are," has an oddly touching resonance.

But if Hitchcock is the centerpiece, then Saul Freeman's electronic production is the flowers that cover the centerpiece. He manages a downtempo, almost jazzy sound, but switches over to soundscapes that stop just short of being epic, and the cascading electronica of "Kissing the Day." Samples of church bells are patched in, and what sounds like muted brass and violins.

Mandalay left on a high note in "Empathy" a truly beautiful album that seems all the more poignant because it was their last. Beautiful, mellow and sweet, this is a definite must-listen.


Why you haven't heard of this group.   October 29, 2001
Let's get this straight: this is a UK group that is the favorite of a lot of people outside of the US. Even Madonna loves this group and you really can't blame her. The trip-hop-lyrical prose of this group gets you reeling into a blissful earful of Empathy.

If you like Portishead, you probably have already heard some of these songs. There is a "bootleg" album, called "PEARL" which is actually Mandalay. The style is the same, but the artists are very different. And in my opinion, Mandalay is much better.

These songs are worth the price: they're impossible to find and they are incredible otherwise. Buy it, listen to it, spread the word. Mandalay the musical group is completely here to stay.


WONDERFUL!   October 13, 2008
The voice of Mandalay sounds like Everything But The Girl, but with more vibrato, and it has tasty pop/chill/hip-hop arrangements, which makes this CD a total winner! Perfect for mellowing out, this is a deep and rich recording that will show off your system. If you'd like dreamy type, catchy music with beautiful vocals then this one's for you!