Sia
We Are Born
Red Ink Records
This is not the Sia that I’m used to hearing. I’m used to the Sia who contributed to the chill-out electro-duo Zero 7 and who has released two albums that have the same relaxed vibe with some more upbeat tracks interspersed throughout. Apparently Sia is tired of “chill-axing.” Her fourth album We Are Born is 14 tracks of instantly danceable tracks that slowly fade back to the Sia that I know and love.
Sia opens the album with a club-friendly “The Fight” and continues non-stop with “Clap Your Hands,” the song that is guaranteed to fill the dance floor. “Stop Trying” and the instant-hit “You’ve Changed” keep the energy high until the first break arrives with the gorgeous “Be Good to Me.”
Sia then does Gwen Stefani better than Stefani herself on “Bring Night.” Sia’s voice deftly moves with such ease from innocent (“Hurting Me Now”) to full-on diva (the piano ballad “I’m in Here”) to… Madonna! (On her cover of Madonna’s “Oh Father”), it makes this genre shift sound so natural.
Sia’s vocal maturity and command combined with her child-like exuberance have made her one of the best female artists in the world. With We Are Born, she has allowed her music to mature and grow with her voice. It’s scary to think that an artist of her talent is actually exceeding her potential.
