Chasing The Light Album Review

In the 1990’s Maree Sheehan helped pave the way for women in the New Zealand music industry by bringing homegrown dance-pop to the foreground. Sheehan had a unique style, which blended dance-pop with traditional Maori instrumentals, hip-hop and RnB which broke new musical ground. But as innovative as it was, it was hard to break past the barriers of New Zealand Music especially as a female musician. Over 10 years on and that innovation and hybrid of music is now embraced and encouraged in our NZ music industry and the benefits of perseverence have paid off for Maree who releases her new album Chasing the Light.

Chasing The Light, showcases Sheehan’s rich vocals and the depth of her songwriting experience. The album opens with In The Light which is a piano driven sweet and soulfilled ballad. Maree has an ability to create perfectly balanced harmonies and this is repeated with another piano beauty later as the third track How Do I Say Goodbye. The second track peps up a little bit adding in some brass and drums in Without You, she is able to add happiness to songs about love and love lost, which is a rare talent. Maree is also able cross genres with ease and stability as heard in Rock With Me and Do I Wish which transforms the traditional sound of reggae into a more summery fun version of reggae. Rock With Me is very popular on the charts right now, and rightly so, it’s a very catchy track. Capping off a well-constructed and musically versatile album is Watching Me Fall which musically bares all, raw lyrics and vocals paired only with a guitar to add rhythm, stunning.

Great album, even after a decade long hiatus we are glad Maree Sheehan is back to making music!