Cerulean Sky - Review by Radio Airplay
Overall Impression:
Beautifully crafted and superbly performed, Ilana Kovalle's strikingly poignant "Cerulean Sky" is a conceptually mature piece of songwriting that manages to delicately balance its deeply thought-provoking themes with a grand feeling of creative scale. Ilana's soothing vocal qualities are perfectly paired with the thoroughly engrossing musical backdrop that accompanies her, and whilst there is a definite melancholic undercurrent that's running through "Cerulean Sky", this somber tone is interestingly counteracted by an encapsulating feeling of serenity and hope that's been delicately intertwined throughout the music. This balance allows listeners to fully appreciate Ilana's touching look at the many plights of the world without ever feeling despondent, instilling a profound feeling of optimism amongst the audience despite the track's obvious feelings of struggle.
Strongest Point(s):
It's always fascinating to know the deeper inner-workings behind a song's inspiration, it not only allows for listeners to better connect with a piece of music emotionally, but it gives the music a profound sense of context that reinforces the powerful themes that are coursing through both the lyrics and music. It's clear that "Cerulean Sky" comes from a place of sincerity and this can most definitely be felt through Ilana's heartfelt lyrics, from the beautifully articulated phrases to the powerful imagery that Ilana so effortlessly manages to conjure up, you really feel as if your hanging on to each and every word in order to fully appreciate the sense of weight that they each individually carry. With themes as delicate as the ones found in "Cerulean Sky", it takes a special kind of vocal performance to most effectively convey what the track is trying to say, and I think it's safe to say that Ilana gives a truly captivating performance that listeners will find so easy to engage with. There's a strong sense of both fluidity and tenderness in Ilana's vocal performance that you can't help but feel utterly enthralled by, and again, this gentleness serves as a brilliant way to softly counteract the serious themes that underlay the track. Much praise should also go to the arrangement, the way in which the track is layered is particularly absorbing, from the expansive instrumentation to how the track is subtly built up over time, there's a definite feeling of scope to the way the arrangement has been crafted and as a result "Cerulean Sky" feels both mature in it's writing and confident in its execution.
Target Audience Appeal:
This is quite a difficult track to place into any one genre, and I do think that's a good thing. I can certainly hear a number of distinct genre nods throughout the music such as folk, new age, cinematic, as well as ambient singer-songwriter styles. I would say at its heart, "Cerulean Sky" most closely aligns with the singer-songwriter styles that adopt orchestral elements. Below are some artists that come to mind when listening to this particular track, hopefully, this will help you better gauge where the track fits in terms of genre and style. This was a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience and I wish you all the best for the future.
Katie Garfield - Gallows
Ruelle - War of Hearts
RAIGN - Knocking on Heavens door
SVRCINA - Battlefield
Klergy - Start a War
Artist target suggestions:
Novo Amor, High Highs, Haux, Little May, French For Rabbits, Jack The Fox, Kina Grannis, Amber Run, Ben Howard, Ruelle, SVRCINA, RAIGN, UNSECRET, My Indigo, Katie Garfield, Lawless, Klergy, WILDES, Clair Guerreso
About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.
