Back in December 2018 Kiya Ashton released her debut EP, Sweet Decadence, to quite some positive response.
Since then she has become even more of a fixture of Guernsey’s live music scene and, during the current break from live public events, has been a big part of the Upload Festival CI series of online streaming gigs which she’s now followed up with a new, home recorded, single Anchor.
By her own admission this new track, written and recorded during lockdown, is a glorified demo she hopes to develop further when she can get back into the studio but, for my money, the rawness of its sound is somewhat refreshing while capturing something of what so appeals about her sound when she plays live.
The song itself is something of the usual singer-songwriter type of fare but with some nice nautical metaphors about love and life that give it its own feel while Kiya’s performance has an Amanda Palmer meets The Cranberries kind of vibe combining a strength with a vulnerability that is great to hear.
Some simple multi tracking helps add a little more diversity to the sound of Anchor which builds to an understated but effective crescendo and hints at even greater things to come, once Kiya can get back in the studio proper for her second full release.
