Sing to the Moon
by Laura Mvula
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
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  1. The Independent on Sunday (UK)
    Apr 29, 2013
    100
    Drawing on anything from Medieval plainsong to free jazz, she creates an extraordinary sensation of light, air, and space.
  2. BBC Music
    Apr 29, 2013
    90
    Whether as the fanfare arrival of a unique new voice or the peculiar indulgence of a future cult classic, this is an album that has to be heard to be believed.
  3. The Quietus
    Apr 29, 2013
    90
    The album--an immaculately drawn piece of jazz-inflected pop--is loaded with such originality that Mvula's carved out a niche of her own in 2013's musical landscape.
  5. Austin Chronicle
    Sep 5, 2013
    89
    Sing to the Moon is a bold and beautiful debut: airy and dense, soul and jazz, dark and light. Head in the clouds, toes in the dirt.
  6. The Line of Best Fit
    Apr 29, 2013
    85
    Some will appreciate the record for the bursts of soul-infused pop, others will take time to grasp the tiny details and appreciate the deeper layers of Sing To The Moon.
  7. Exclaim
    May 13, 2013
    80
    It's a solid album from Mvula, but "beguiling potential" only begins to describe the musical authority this debut merely alludes to.
  8. NOW Magazine
    May 9, 2013
    80
    All in all, a bewitchingly beautiful debut.
  9. The New York Times
    Apr 29, 2013
    80
    Her songs move from yearning and questioning to seizing an insight and turning it into an incantation.
  10. The Telegraph (UK)
    Apr 29, 2013
    80
    Arrangements are marked by clarity, one thing easing into another in a beautifully measured fashion.
  11. PopMatters
    Apr 29, 2013
    80
    This is an outstanding debut album that really does leave you looking forward to what may come next.
  12. The Guardian
    Apr 29, 2013
    80
    It thrives on cosy familiarity, on records that remind listeners of other records: Sing to the Moon feels more ambitious than that.
  13. Pitchfork
    May 20, 2013
    74
    Mvula's music hearkens back to an earlier era than that of her many British contemporaries: She hovers on the edge of pop, but the majority of her songs are too reserved to fully break through.
  14. Rolling Stone
    Jul 8, 2013
    70
    Her immaculately crafted LP sounds like Jill Scott, Feist, Tune-Yards and a 1940s film score simultaneously cranking on a vintage gramophone.
  15. Spin
    Jun 6, 2013
    70
    The album's first half is suffused with a longing that flits between hopeful and resigned, unsure which is the worse fate. At other times, she sounds a little exasperated--mournful even--but throughout, her elegant arrangements remain taut and full of energy.
  16. AllMusic
    Apr 29, 2013
    70
    Although it's more admirable than it is enjoyable, Sing to the Moon marks the arrival of a unique and major talent--one with a commanding voice seemingly from another dimension--who should be worth watching for many years to come.
  17. DIY Magazine
    Apr 29, 2013
    70
    The lightness of Mvula's touch is shown by the fact that even the most leaden songs here have a moment where they catch fire.
  18. Clash Music
    Apr 29, 2013
    70
    Packing a brassy punch, the tracks still manage to twinkle elegantly, rich in harmony with hymnal touches.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 1 out of 20
  1. Wuehltisch
    May 10, 2014
    10
    For me it is definitely the best Pop hybrid album of the last 5 years. I can understand many people not liking this, due to its complete 360°For me it is definitely the best Pop hybrid album of the last 5 years. I can understand many people not liking this, due to its complete 360° twist on contemporary pop music, having different rhythms as only 4/4 (god I love her for that). Each track is sublime and moody and sad and happy and whatnot. But this album is not for inexperienced listeners, it's too complex for some. It's not an "easy-listening" album, and that's why I love it so much.… Full Review »
  2. danceordie
    May 18, 2013
    10
    The very first notes on thi album feel like a powerful invocation. The album's baroque, velvet textures and atmospheric ambiance perfectlyThe very first notes on thi album feel like a powerful invocation. The album's baroque, velvet textures and atmospheric ambiance perfectly complement the lush, smoky curls of Mvula's voice. But even more mesmerizing is the way this former choir director sublimely weaves her band mates' voices with her own, helping to make seven people sound like 70. Best debut of 2013, so far.… Full Review »
  3. movieboy
    May 5, 2013
    10
    A stunning debut album from a new, young singer from the UK. Imagine a cross between Nina Simone, Bjork and the Beach Boys, but she might beA stunning debut album from a new, young singer from the UK. Imagine a cross between Nina Simone, Bjork and the Beach Boys, but she might be too odd for some tastes.
    To these ears she sounds better than Amy or Adele. When I heard a few tracks early on I was mesmerized and then had to stop listening after a while because I couldn't get them out of my head. It's the voice, the tone, her use of space, and imaginative arrangements,instrumentation and subject matter.    … Full Review »
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