Tina Dico - 'Count To Ten' (Finest Grammophone) Released 04/02/08

Following her more notable collaboration with duo Zero 7and the release of her UK debut record ‘In The Red’, Danish sensation Tina Dico returns with an inspiring and intelligent collection of poignant songs for new album ‘Count To Ten’. The album proceeds with the outlandish but rather alluring folky melody of the title track – sounding somewhat precariously like a José González delivery. Alongside the charming orchestral culmination it brings a sense of confidence to how the rest of the album is likely to develop.

The tempo and melody take a direct change throughout, with moments of jovial enlightenment that compliment the downing beauty of the more melancholic tracks.  Each song is built around a strong chorus with the catchier numbers coming from the Bon Jovi-esque ‘On The Run’ and the engaging ‘Open Wide’.

The optimism of earlier songs such as ‘Night Cab’ turn into a more palpable sense of obvious pining love and emotion during the latter of the album. The tender ‘Everybody Knows’ sounds torn from Dico’s deep reflections and transfixes in a way the late Eva Cassidy would be more associated with. Dico delicately and melodically trembles: “But it’s written across the blue skies/You’re scared to realise/That underneath the cover/ We’re all as frail as each other.”

Lyrics are sturdy and thoughtful throughout with only the occasional wince at a clichéd rhyme – although the divine song writing and penchant for emotive poetic illusions quickly overshadow this slight glitch.  The confusion of losing one’s self in a sunset is made striking in ‘Sacre Coeur’ and ‘My Business’ echoes a moment of compassion from a distance.  An unusual blend of Sheryl Crow and a buoyant Tori Amos seem to reveal through Dico’s passionate and confident vocals.

She in keeps routine observations in a somewhat personal narrative manner to prove there is more then simple fantasy to her poetic judgments: “Stop spilling red wine on the carpets/You know the stains don’t come off anymore.”  Where words like captivating seem vague, in order to truly dissect the beauty that lies in Dico’s songs, there is a noticeable splendour that when looked upon further is almost fortuitously heightened.

She has conquered the hearts and the charts of her native homeland and deserves success, as Britain is longing for someone who is far more then a unique and tantalising voice, but rather someone who is able to infuse the songs first and the hype second.

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