Imogen Heap: Propeller Seeds

To date, the English artist Imogen Heap has released just three albums in a career spanning 14 years but with every release featuring a distinctive take on the Singer Songwriter style of composition which utilises at points highly advanced application of electronics. In 'Propeller Seeds,' the first single form her highly anticipated sequel to 2009's 'Ellipse' album, the entire track has been written and mixed binaurally in collaboration with Nick Ryan, an audio specialist, to create an immersive 3D soundscape, placing the listener in the shoes of the performer.

Imogen Heap - Propeller Seeds from Imogen Heap on Vimeo.

Listeners are advised that the 3D effect can only be perceived when listening on headphones.

As is typical for Heap, the instrumentation is purposefully limited to a small number of instruments to let the singer's voice shine through. The piece begins with sampled tuned metallic strikes before Heap enters alongside a number of background voices which create the impression of an audience providing a commentary of the music as it slowly unfolds. As the piece develops, instrumentation thickens to include various percussive elements and a bass line, mixed to create a pleasing character to the music.

As with much of Heap's work, the music takes on a complicated structure rather than the typical verse-chorus structure used by many of her counterparts. The artist does however choose to add extra emphasis to the lines

"What’s happening here? 

I’m growing roots through my toes 

And leaves from my fingertips"

                   as they are the only lines to be repeated in the music, giving it otherwise a free-verse impression. While this could be considered to be a naive subversion of commonplace musical form, it is a technique central to the artist's aesthetic and is accomplished in a truly laudable way. Through the complicated musical structure, Heap creates a very interesting narrative arc which draws the listener in and sustains their interest until the piece's ultimate conclusion.

With the release of this single, fans are undoubtedly highly excited for the next Imogen Heap album and based on the quality of this single, rightly so.

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