If the original version of Golden Leaves was a perfect blend of driven pop, infectious hooks and vocal eloquence, Stephania Sanquiz’s revisit takes the energy levels even higher and pushes a harder edge. Whilst staying faithful to the original and featuring Noemi Smorra who was one half of the vocal duo on the original English language version of the song, this time it is somehow bigger, edgier and takes the song down a more rock route.
And even if Spanish isn’t your first language, you can appreciate the vocal performance, rising from gentle and restrained deliveries to impassioned joint harmony choruses. Then, as the song heads to its crescendo and the guitars are spiralling out of control firing off squalling rock and roll salvo’s the power of the combined vocal really goes to work creating drama and dynamics.
It is a great remake of the song, it stays close to the original version but brings enough extra power and musical muscle to step over the pop-rock divide. Add to that a slick video which shows the two singers in their respective locations and you have a song and video package which is bound to become a sure fire hit.
