SALT ASHES

Salt Ashes is the pseudonym of Brighton-based singer Veiga Sanchez, a lady with such a good name it makes one wonder why she bothered to change it.  Her sophomore release ‘Somebody’ is a mid-tempo dancefloor-bothering romp which cleverly straddles the line between nightclub kudos and daytime radio cheese.  There’s plenty of bubbling sub-surface electronica to please the most ardent fan of 80s revivalism, but it’s dressed in contemporary baubles – plastic strings, synth fireworks and even a snare-drum breakdown to keep the most sticky of provincial dancefloors on the move.

The highlight is Sanchez’s vocal performance itself, featuring as it does that certain sweet ‘n’ sour mixture of girly innocence and diva-ish inflection which has kept a certain Ms Ciccone in business for several decades.  The track perhaps tries too hard to be all things to all people, and certainly cannot be accused of breaking any moulds, but there’s a competence on display here that makes it a very assured step in the right direction for Salt Ashes.  As long as she stays clear of pointy bras.

Words by Martin Sharman

Tipped by Bob Allan