Cherish – Kathy Ingraham (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

If you are not enchanted by Ingraham’s gorgeous, crystalline voice right from the start then head straight for the Accident and Emergency department of your local hospital, there is something seriously wrong with your heart. And with most of the music going on behind her being tastefully stripped back and delicately woven around, you have to be able to do something quite impressive with the vocals to pull off such a delicate composition.

Thankfully she is perfect for it, a blend of old-school soul diva and a more modern, classic pop singer. But whereas many of the chart-bothers of today seem only to be appropriating such classic sounds, Ingraham is the real deal. Timeless, restrained and perfectly poised.

Even as the song builds, as beats slowly come into ear-shot and rhythms gather some weight, it is still just a gentle vehicle for a voice which remains front and centre of the whole affair. In a word…gorgeous.

In two… breathtakingly gorgeous!