9BACH - Tincian Review

World music's new frontier: Snowdonian trip-hop Where their 2009 debut was stuffed with traditional Welsh balladry, Tincian (meaning ‘dazed’) is almost all original work by singer Lisa Jen and musician Martin Hoyland. The duo have refined their approach too, matching Jen’s crystalline voice to equally spare arrangements of harp, guitar, drums, keyboards, and electronic toy box. They have a distant cousin in Portishead, but 9Bach’s flavours are lighter, more mysterious and more uplifting. The traditional “Pa Le?” gets the full harp and finger cymbals treatment, while on “Plentyn”, Jen turns Bushesque againt a female chorus. Despite some ponderous moments, Tincian is a captivating original. Verdict: 70/100