Sarah Fimm

Near Infinite Possibility was featured on MySpace Music News the week of its release. - MySpace Music News

Near Infinite Possibility was featured on Zune's Marketplace the week of its release. - Zune

Near Infinite Possibility was featured on iTunes' Indie Music Spotlight the week of its release. - iTunes

Near Infinite Possibility was featured on AOL Music's Listening Party the week before its release. - AOL

Sarah Fimm is an exceptionally talented, optimistic singer/songwriter that will soon make a name for herself. Already receiving comparisons to Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan, Fimm's music plays on hundreds of college and commercial radio stations and will soon be in a major movie soundtrack. Having released two successful independant albums, Cocooned and A Perfect Dream, she recorded Nexus' fifteen songs in Suffern, New York, paradoxically coidciding with the August 2003 blackout. This downtime allowed Fimm and her band mates, drummer Jim Perry and bassist Peter Geraghty, to reflect and improve many of these celestial tracks including "Sky is Falling Down" and "Space Journey". Rich in soothing tones and languid grooves (think Portishead), her music is supple in that she knows just where to pause, and where to surge forward using electronica, evocative of Goldfrapp and Bjork. Fimm named the album Nexus, after Mark Buchanan's book outlining the 'six-degress' theory in which everyone is connected. Take a listen to connect to her yourself. - The Deli/Rachel Rokicki

Weaving ambient soundscapes with lush keyboards, Sarah Fimm creates music that is as powerful as it is emotionally stirring. At 24, she has three albums on her résumé, including 2004's self-released "Nexus".
Additionally, she has licensed her songs for such films as "D.E.B.s" and "Comic Book: The Movie", as well as a number of MTV reality shows. In May, Fimm graduated from gigs in her Northeast stomping grounds to a 14-date U.S. tour supporting Peter Murphy. This month, the pair head overseas for 20-odd shows in such cities as Paris, Athens and Rome. One of Fimm's goals is "to make an entire album of music for life, for experiences and of the movie in my head", she says with a laugh. "These are things we have to get out, but I'm heavily infused right now, so I'm due for a pouring". - Billboard/Christa Titus

"Be Like Water" launches the odyssey that is "A Perfect Dream", a sensual feast of electronic leanings and hypnotic atmospheres that is brewed with alternative-leaning gothic melodies. Singer/songwriter/pianist Sarah Fimm is already drawing Tori Amos comparisions:Her phrasing strongly mimics Amos' on the ig-band, scat-happy "spit Trap Ghetto" and "Alien Boys." But her tone more closley matches Sarah Mclachlan's ethereal breathiness at its finest, and Fimm's compositions (interspersed with spoken word, sax, trumpet, and hand percuussion) innovate instead of imitate. Lyrically, they tackle themes like the loss of love and life on the dramatic "Virus," "Smoke," and "Shadows and Dust." Given that this is only her second album, Fimm is no doubt ripe with possibility. This is one of the most enchanting discoveries of the year. - Billboard/Christa Titus

Summary: Sarah is giving away another one of her albums. This one isn't just an EP though. This is 31 songs, 1 making-of video, tons of pictures and more.

Sarah Fimm has always been passionate about her music and sincere about getting it into the hands of as many people as she can. She is constantly making her music available to stream online, and isn’t above giving away albums – as she did a few years ago with White Birds. Even though she is known for trying to share her music whenever it’s possible, her latest endeavor still comes as a surprise for its forward-thinking and the sheer depth of the project. Karma Phala is thirty-one tracks of new and unreleased music that spans her entire recording career, including three tracks from her upcoming fifth album, Near Infinite Possibility. It covers everything from ambient electronics to soulful acoustic rock while maintaining a consistently high quality throughout. In addition to that large quantity of music, Karma Phala also includes a high-quality ‘making of Near Infinite Possibility’ video, a ton of pictures, a personal greeting from Sarah herself and more. As if that isn’t enough, she has been giving the whole thing away for free on 1-gig thumb drives (she is even covering the shipping).

There’s so much to like about this release that it’s hard to even know where to begin. First, there is the large abundance of music that has a little bit of something for everyone. For new listeners, there are the tracks from each of Sarah’s previous releases that demonstrate her evolution from an electronics-dominated beginning to the more organic and expressive direction that she has taken recently. For long-time fans there is the novelty of being able to hear songs that Sarah Fimm, for whatever reason, opted to never release before this point. Much of the unreleased material is ambient and piano-based instrumentals that work well as transitional pieces between the fuller songs, but they’re also equally effective as autonomous pieces – as “War of the Worlds” demonstrates. The tracks that most fans will be interested in, of course, are the three songs from her upcoming 2011 release, Near Infinite Possibility. Without ruining any potential surprises, it shouldn’t shock anybody to learn that the songs are excellent and that they are, once again, a progression and extension of Sarah’s previous work.

The rest of the package will be much more interesting to the long-time Sarah Fimm fan than to the new or casual listener. The video provides an in-depth look at the making of Sarah’s upcoming album Near Infinite Possibility. For those that are curious about the process of making a Sarah Fimm album as well as for those hopeful of hearing glimpses of the new album, this video will not disappoint. Karma Phala also contains quite a few pictures from studio and video productions, as well as her own personal artwork. Her artwork, in particular, is well worth taking a look at as it displays yet another talent that Sarah seemingly possesses. The final odds-and-ends include a personal message from Sarah herself as well as facts and credits about each song on the album. The credits section specifically highlights the sheer amount of guest musicians that Sarah has worked with throughout her career. The list of guests is much too long to mention in its entirety, but notable musicians include Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails), Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Tony Levin (King Crimson) and Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer).

Karma Phala is definitely a labor of love – from the velvet bag and gold-shimmed hand-written thank-you card that accompanies each gig-drive, to the selfless way that she is giving the entire package away, it couldn’t be more obvious. For those that might need more convincing, though, the music itself should leave little doubt. Whether the song is a quiet little piano instrumental such as “Ant on a Wire” or any number of trip-hop and alt. rock tracks, the attention to detail and emotive vocals prove just how much of herself Sarah puts into every aspect of her music. The fact that this entire package is free is amazing, and should prompt even those that are only remotely interested to check out Karma Phala – and if you like what you hear, you owe it to yourself to begin looking into her extensive back-catalog as well.

- Sputnik Music/Trey Spencer

Summary: Sarah Fimm has never been one to repeat what she has already done, and she isn't about to start now.

It's amazing how far Sarah Fimm has come since releasing Cocooned in 2001. There was a time when her music was dominated by electronics and chill beats with only Sarah Fimm's vocals left to provide any human element. That dynamic slowly changed, though, as Sarah set out to deliberately make her music more emotional and dynamic. Although each album slowly made progress towards that goal, the first huge leap came with her EP White Birds. Without rehashing every nuance of that excellent EP, suffice it to say that it saw Sarah successfully end her reliance on electronics and, more importantly, it proved that she had it in her to deliver truly touching songs ("Tamara Song" in particular). The natural final step seemed to come with the release of Red Yellow Sun. This was the album that did away with the remaining electronic elements and replaced them with electric and acoustic guitars, organic percussion, classical instrumentation and a larger folk influence. It appeared that Sarah Fimm had finally realized her vision, but Near Infinite Possibility proves that she hasn't settled down just yet.

Red Yellow Sun as a whole seemed to be built around quiet folk-influenced melodies that left the songs feeling very open. This warm meditative ambience was the key element that locked all of the songs together, but it also gave the album a homogenous feel. Near Infinite Possibility, in contrast, seems to pull from many diverse influences – from 70s psychedelic rock to 90s alt. rock and even a bit of prog. This collection of influences, for whatever reason, has lead to an album that seems to radiate with an underlying sense of sadness. It's not just in the lyrics (although it's there too) but also in the tones and melodies. There are songs such as the first single, "Yellow", that are blatantly dark but even on tracks such as the proggy and catchy "Closer" the music creates a slightly sinister ambience through the use of dissonance, melancholic guitar melodies and the occasional strange sound effect. This underlying sense of depression isn't just an isolated incident either; it's a feeling that seems to lie just under the surface of just about every song (and is also placed right at the forefront from time to time). This sense of unease and unhappiness peaks on "Disappear" – a track that reminds me a lot of the kind of thing Alice in Chains were so good at on Dirt.

These songs not only display another side of Sarah Fimm's music, but also just how diverse this album is. Opening track, "Soul Let Swim", sets the tone for the album by gently easing listeners into her latest direction. Overall it's an upbeat alt. rock song that makes excellent use of layered and harmonized vocals, but it also makes subtle use of elements that will come into play later such as the gloomier feel and occasional use of dissonance. One track was apparently all the time Sarah was willing to give listeners in order to make the adjustment because "Invisible Satellites" pushes listeners into the deep end with its moody atmosphere, sparse electronics and potent vocals. From "Invisible Satellites" forward Sarah Fimm ushers in track after track of gloomy, yet catchy, music that is inherently alt. rock, but with a much more diverse scope thanks to her use of folk, prog and psychedelic rock. If this formula sounds a little bit unfamiliar compared to Sarah Fimm's past works, it should. In fact – as it was with the transition from Nexus to Red Yellow Sun – there is very little on this album that one could call similar to the previous release. If Red Yellow Sun was the soundtrack of a contemplative woman taking the good with the bad but ultimately enjoying the moment, then Near Infinite Possibility is that same woman coming to grips with some buried emotions that finally need to be expressed and the music fits that vibe perfectly.

When Red Yellow Sun was released people naturally assumed that it was the end result of Sarah's vision for her music, myself included, but we were wrong. Near Infinite Possibility proves that there probably isn't a true end result in Sarah Fimm's mind, just a natural and continuous progression that will continue to twist and turn in unexpected ways. This means that each album should continue to be a surprise and Near Infinite Possibility certainly is. It is an album that takes a turn towards darker pastures and less relaxed surroundings. The warm acoustic folk of the previous album has been virtually eliminated in order to make room for a hybrid of alt. and psychedelic rock that flirts with moments of prog, dissonance and sparse electronics. This has made Near Infinite Possibility a much less comfortable listen, but when the results are as good as this and the songs and lyrics can engage so easily, a little discomfort is well worth the price of admission. - Sputnik Music/Trey Spencer

We always knew that Sarah Fimm-consummate songwriter, enchanting singer/pianist-could jam in her own vibrant, transcendent kind of way. But the steadfastly independent artist has let her inner rock child loose on new album “Near Infinite Possibility,” as her atmospheric soundscapes now throb and undulate with a new emphasis on guitar, percussion and tempo. Classic influences from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Heart appear on the songs ‘Say No more,” “Disappear” (which closes with a Hendrix–esque solo) and “Up From Dust.” She also touches on old school progressive rock with “Flames” and “Morning Time” while ruminating on higher consciousness and emotional paralysis. Although every cut is a worthy listen, the track “Everything Becomes Whole” is a clear champion: its propulsive beat and Fimm’s ardent performance indicate that it would be a fiery trip indeed if she decided to take a longer detour through alternative rock territory. - Christa Titus

SARAH FIMM
Near Infinite Possibility
Producer: David Baron and Sarah Fimm
Release Date: May 5 - Billboard/Christa Titus

Upon first glance, Stamford, CT native and NYC resident Sarah Fimm's third release, Nexus, would appear to have all the trappings of a major label release.

The layout of the liner notes is clean and simple, the production values are crisp, every sound never being thrown too far back or forward in the mix.

Fimm, upon first listen will probably evoke images of Sarah MacLachlan, Tori Amos, even Dido on a few tracks. But she is in a class unto her own. Her vocals in particular are familiar yet with their own distinct qualities. Breathy, emotive, dark, hopeful, they perfectly complement her subtle style of piano.

The songs are a trove of varying musical styles and lyrical inspirations. Jazzy rhythms, trip-hop beats, pop sensibility and rock and roll soul help to bring the anti-war anthem "Story of Us", the soft and tragic "Orchids" and the brilliantly catchy, instant classic "Mercury" to life.

A terrific aspect of Nexus is its ability to open up even further over successive spins. I first hooked into “Mercury”, then to the rocky “Sky is Falling Down” and have recently settled into the somber, radio-ready “December”. It goes on and on.

And yet, despite all of the evidence leading one to believe Fimm and co. must be on some major -- Atlantic, RCA, anyone -- they're not on any label at all.

It's this professionalism and dedication to their music that has taken Fimm's, bassist Peter Geraghty's and drummer Jim Perry's work out of some little rehearsal space and into the world. Nexus is a beautiful album and recommended across the board. - MusicTap/John Dunphy

Sarah Fimm's second album, "A Perfect Dream," was a diamond buried deep in the indie underground: a brilliant and durable gem worth mining that no doubt will increase in value. Likewise, Fimm's new "Nexus" is another rare jewel. Whereas the songs from "Dream" were very separate entities, the 15 cuts winding through "Nexus" transition into each other almost seamlessly, creating a chilled-out dimension, one that is vast and colored with celestial imagery.

The mood they evoke is at times soothing ("Space Journey") and stirring ("Velocity," "Mercury"). You'll find yourself roused by the trippy grooves in "Story of Us," then calmed by "Paradise." Several songs contain little more than Fimm's tranquil voice and piano or keyboards, which accentuate the lofty atmospheres with electro gurgles, whirls or heartbeats.

But Fimm can also speak more profoundly with lulls of delicate sound and breaths of silence than many can with words. "Walk Away" shifts the ambience into one of deep melancholy that is carried through "December" and blooms in a mournful cello on "Orchids." The windy, eerie landscape of a distant planet surrounds "Great Wide Open" before reaching the finale "Storytime," a brief piano interlude that could be felt as either joy or grief. Fimm's artistry is a creature of great emotion and subtle nuance. We bow to its delicate yet powerful beauty.

--Christa L. Titus


- Billboard/Christa Titus

This musical earth-angel's dark new album Nexus (Sarah Fimm) pushes the limits of the pop piano-woman paradigm, enveloping ethereal rock songwriting with thick, sensual electronic textures. Reminiscent of Sarah McLachlin and Portishead, the youthful artist's music displays high levels of lyrical and compositional prowess, as well as a great deal of technical sophistication. "I'm a geek," Sarah laughs. "I love computers. I love [Apple] Logic. I believe you can obtain sounds from machines that cannot always be made purely by an organic human being, and the sounds I hear are often generated from those sources."

Translating Nexus' lush electronics into live performances wasn't easy, but Sarah's tech savvy quartet rose to the occasion, emerging with a surprisingly compact, back-track-free setup. "I like to keep my rig simple," says Sarah of the lone Kurzweil K2600 she captains. "I like to remain free."

Drummer Jim Perry supports Sarah's keyboard work with both an acoustic kit and electric percussion sounds - created in Propellerhead Reason and sampled in Native Instruments Kontakt - as well Kontakt-triggered vocal effects that augment Sarah's singing. And though bassist Pete Geraghty keeps his own signal path simple enough, he's responsible for reprogramming Sarah's K2600 with song-specific effects and customized, multi-sampled Rhodes and Wurly patches.

The most sohphisticated rig belongs to keyboardist/guitarist Matt Moldover, who jams on an Alesis Andromeda and ADK laptop running Native Instruments Absynth and Guitar Rig. With the road in mind, Matt designed his rig to get the most power out of the least amount of tools. "A super-powerful analog synth and a super-powerful computer-based digital synth are a great combo,"he says. "Combine that with a guitar - which does completely different, cool things - and you've got a whole lot of power with just three pieces of gear."

Technological tightness is one thing, but a true connection between front-woman and audience is another. How does Sarah - anchored to the K2600 as she is - manage to captivate large crowds so effectively? "Stillness," she says. "Having a strong support running through you and having everything else go out from there. There's more power in being still than in anything else."

- Keyboard Magazine/Michael Gallant

Sarah Fimm makes Chris Ruben's Top Ten list for 2004 on Rollingstone.com

3. Sarah Fimm, Nexus (Sarah Fimm LLC): She sings like an angel - seraphim . . . get it? -- and her dark, haunting and very lush music calls to mind Sarah McLachlan and Peter Gabriel. - Rolling Stone/Chris Ruben