Coreena
Seattle, Washington, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Coreena...has just released this very interesting soul album...Apparently she has even done dates on the D'Angelo/Lucy Pearl tour and judging by this I'd say she was more than capable of holding her own is such fine company. Coreena has got one of those voices that makes you stop still and listen; she's very much her own woman...Coreena is a force to be reckoned with...a few repeated listens of this will be most rewarding. - Blues and Soul Magazine Magazine - August 29-September 11th 2000 UK
Coreena is a Northwest-based singer with a background in neo-soul, jazz, and R&B. As a Berklee College of Music vocalist, Coreena experimented with different forms of music. The result of that experimentation led to the electronic genre, or more specifically, down-tempo. With a handful of songs in her collection, her single “The 5th Element” attempts to fill a magnificent void in the world of down-tempo and trip hop.
“The 5th Element” is hung on a house or trip hop beat and rhythm indicative of anything coming out of Manchester, England. However, the music is created in the United States and is genuinely steeped in organic electronica. The opening sequence is a mix of synth sounds and a clangy backbeat rhythm seemingly out of a suspenseful game show right before the time to solve the clue or the puzzle ends. Without missing a beat, Coreena’s vocals appear superimposed over the electronic beats and instrumentation. Her voice is remarkably similar to any of the lead female vocalists from Lamb, Alpha, Zero 7, or Waldeck. A mix of soaring and layered vocals with haunting ranges that meld fluidly with the trance-inducing instrumentation and percussion are characteristic of Coreena. The music is limited to electronic accompaniment, but it does not detract from the impact of the piece.
Lyrically, the song delves into the unknown by examining the soul of the individual, which is coincidentally labeled the 5th element. The song is approximately three minutes long with very little in the way of an instrumental intro or outro lasting around thirty and ten-seconds, respectively. The down-tempo beat is more aligned with trip hop music than pure down-tempo delight. Still, Coreena’s airy vocals are more than adequate for the musical song structures. Though the short duration clocks under most down-tempo songs, “The 5th Element” is filled with enough ear-catching nuances to satisfy most fans of electronica, down-tempo, trance, trip hop, and house.
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)
- Music Writer - Mathew Forss
Discography
Emotions- 2000 EP
The 5th Element - 2011 EP
Photos
Bio
If ever there were an Electronic artist that could breathe musicality, harmony and vocal melodies into the Electronic genre, it would be Coreena, who has four years of voice and music education at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Coreena has a special way with eliciting an array of moods, feelings, thoughts and even colors within her rich musical palette.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Coreena discovered early on that she had a penchant for singing and entertaining. She says she sang “all the time” and started making up her own songs at eight years old. She went on to perform in high school musicals and was later accepted into Berklee in Boston. Coreena performed live and recorded an R&B release which garnered some press and good reviews.
Her previous smooth jazz and soul beginnings are still there in the mix, but she’s added a layer of alternative ambiance fused with her dissonant harmonies and soprano vocal range. Within her new music, Coreena (a dedicated vegan, spiritualist and environmentalist) touches on issues that include reaching your potential, the environment, and even a little bit of a nod to love-song lyrics here and there.
Coreena’s one of those new breed music artists who are different in a very good way. Her sonic blend of ambient electronics combined with her backbeat rhythms and infusion of harmony and melody makes her an artist you don’t want to miss on record or in a club.
-Carl Cunningham
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