Upon first listen, I thought nothing of it. The first lines Kimbra lays down conversely set the mood: “I want to settle down / I want to settle down / Won’t you settle down with me / Settle down.” There’s not much to it, taken out of context of the rest of the song, the opening lines are kind of lacklustre. Her “boom-ba-boom ba’s” and “woah-hey-wahs” set the tone for this rhythm heavy album.
Kimbra’s Vows begins auspiciously enough with the vocal manipulation of “Settle Down”. So, Esthero comparisons aside, Kimbra manages to hold her own as an almost unique talent. Fortunately (for Kimbra), she’s talented enough in her own right, and she’s emulating an already (practically) forgotten Canadian songstress. It’s difficult to find any dissimilarities between the two. Regardless, have a listen to either of Esthero’s albums once you inhale Kimbra’s Vows and you’ll be floored at just how similar these artists are – it’s almost like they’re the same person.
How could her sound be so similar to that of someone living so far away? Coincidence, I suppose. But wait! Kimbra was born in New Zealand, and is now based outside of Melbourne, Australia. Her eerily similar vocals, coupled with her tenacity towards rhythmically intricate pop music, is so completely reminiscent of Esthero it’s uncanny. Kimbra, for all intents and purposes, is Esthero revisited. Esthero’s debut release Breath from Another was an expertly crafted meld of rock and hip hop, complete with strong vocals and scratching DJ loops.
Electronica was ultimately replaced with synthesized pop music, still going strong approximately 10 years later. Esthero broke into the Canadian music scene back in the late ‘90s when things were changing from the grit of grunge music into the short-lived fad of electronica music.
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