Anggun, Elevation. My Review

The height to which something is elevated above a point of reference such as the ground.

Elevation.

Album: Elevation (Double Disc). Warner Music France
Artist: Anggun
Release date: October 18th (France).

Tracklist.

Disc : 1
1. J’Ignorais Tout	Écouter	Écouter
2. Si Tu L’Avoues	Écouter	Écouter
3. Hymne A La Vie	Écouter	Écouter
4. Rien A Ecrire	Écouter	Écouter
5. Le Bluffeur (Interlude)	Écouter	Écouter
6. Si Je T’Emmène	Écouter	Écouter
7. Plus Forte	Écouter	Écouter
8. Cette Nuit	Écouter	Écouter
9. Tentation	Écouter	Écouter
10. Le Temps Perdu	Écouter	Écouter
11. Est-Ce Un Hasard ?	Écouter	Écouter
12. Selamat Tidur (Interlude)	Écouter	Écouter
13. Eden In Her Eyes	Écouter	Écouter
14. Un Jour Sur Terre (Générique Du Film ‘Un Jour Sur Terre’)	Écouter	Écouter

Disc : 2
1. A Change	Écouter	Écouter
2. Crazy	Écouter	Écouter
3. Seize The Moment	Écouter	Écouter
4. No Song	Écouter	Écouter
5. My Man	Écouter	Écouter
6. Stronger	Écouter	Écouter
7. Give It To Love	Écouter	Écouter
8. Hide And Run	Écouter	Écouter
9. Divine	Écouter	Écouter
10. Is It A Sign ?	Écouter	Écouter
11. World	Écouter	Écouter
12. Si Tu L’Avoues (Laurent Wolf Radio Edit)	Écouter	Écouter
13. Si Tu L’Avoues (Tomer G & Roi Tochner Radio Edit)	Écouter	Écouter

(Tracklist credit to Amazon.fr)

Anggun, an underated french citizen, Indonesian singer who has achieve a superstar status in Europe, Asia and some parts of Africa,Russia and tiny impact in America has return with ‘Elevation’, her 5th full lenght album since her international debut album ‘Snow On The Sahara'(1997).

Unlike her previous album, ‘Elevation’ is observed as a carefully produced album in hope to not only capture interest and appeals to much wider listeners but at the same time able to maintain Anggun artistic style in almost all of her song. A similar effort made in ‘Loose'(2006) by Nelly Furtado.Unlike ‘Luminescence’, ‘Elevation’ is seen as an effort to gain a heavier radio and music videos air plays. Some older fans who are does want to let go Anggun’s  Snow on Sahara image of dark,heavy, poetic songs might be dissapointed with this new album.

Not all  songs in ‘Elevation’ are hiphop driven.Its not a hip hop album persay.Appropriately, i would say that ‘Elevation’ is a collection of an upbeat, midtempo and slowmo urban sounds with multiple musical varieties from pop, rap, dance, ballad, hiphop and even rock. All of these tracks still carries Anggun’s signature style in every facets of the song.The songs although not as poetic as her previous releases, its still on point in delivering messages without jeaopardising it artistic values and Anggun signature styles.Fans should know by now that Anggun is known to refuse to be associate with a specific musical genres. Over the years since the release of ‘Snow On The Sahara’, she enjoy expressing her creativity in many music genres.She does not tied herself with a specific sound, but prefer her lyrics and artistic inspiration to be the canvas of her work, which allows her experimenting with various musical genre in achieving her own signature sound style.Over this years,all of her albums are similarly carried her musical succesfully but they are not identical.

Anggun musical versatality is no stranger to her fans. She has collaborated with many musical talents from various musical genres such as Jazz, electronica, house, and back then in Indonesia she was a rock singer. ‘Open hearts'(2002), her 3rd album, is an urban pop electronica soundtrack album for the danish dogma movie of the same title.

After a few listens and looking through the progress of Anggun music, lyrical, image and style. I have to agree that this album has indeed appropriately titled as ‘Elevation’,as its proven eversince the released of ‘Luminesence’ (2005), Anggun has succesfully elevate herself, her fashion style and songs and she is now more than ready for a much bigger opurtunity for her career’s development.She evolve into becoming an icon, securing expensive endorsement deal from Audemars Piguet, being associate with prominent fashion designer clothes as Azzedine Alai, Dolce & Gabbana,Roberto Cavalli etc.She also appointed as a United Nation spokesperson for Microcredit and is very supportive towards enviromental projects.

With ‘Elevation’ Anggun took a few bigger leaps forward to evolve her music and style. A move that i felt necessary in order please record label in order to gain profit for their investment and to explore Anggun creativity beyond her comfort zone. The results impressively displayed in all of her songs in ‘Elevation’.This album proves that Anggun can be playful and fun but still able to channel her artistic qualities.

This is important to ensure Anggun career longevity, she need to produced an album which will be celebrate by her existing fan based, and yet she must find her ways to capture new younger listeners to get to know her work. Those who are stranger to Anggun previous releases will slowly learns to appreciate her musical identity. Thus i truly welcome and enjoy ‘Elevation’ in hoping for a much bigger success to Anggun’s career, which  something she desprately deserve and has been long overdue.

Im not going to review off all her songs in ‘ Elevation’.Its all have a distinguish quality that you will have to appreciate yourself by buying the album. However, among all of her tracks, there are few fabulous songs that are unique, something that you least expected from Anggun but has a potential in becoming hits.

‘Crazy/Si Tu L’avoues’ – The first single off ‘Elevation’. This is an uptempo dance single that have a radio friendly appeal. For a single, ‘crazy’ proved that anggun able to compramise by having a song with a simple lyric such as ‘Crazy’. A love song about falling heads over heel to someone we love. “aint nobody else, im crazy for you, its all about you, everybody knows that im crazy for you, its all about you everything you do makes me crazy for you…” an simple addictive song to sing along to.

‘Sieze the moment/Hymne A la vie’ – Although the song has a slightly identical addictive intro beat to Justin Timberlake’s ‘My Love’ the overall composition is different. The background male vocals almost sounding like Timbaland. It is an addictive song with a simple yet meaningful lyrics which is a very classic Anggun.

‘My Man/Si Je T emmene’ Feat Pras Michel- In this uptempo song,Anggun collaborate with Pras Michel from The Fugees. It contains a catchy lyric and beat. A potential single song,which we might expected be release by Fergie or The Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane, Kat Deluna etc. This female anthem song talks about Anggun telling her man, to stop the chasing game and focus on her if they wanted to be her man. “girls like me wont keep falling from a bad boys like you, thinking that you can be rocking my world, if you wanna be my man, quit the the game you playing’. I cant help but smile as i listen to this song, as i cant help but liking with the direction that Anggun is heading. This song proves that Anggun does not alienate her younger set of listeners and fans especially those in 12-20 years old who can easily relate to this type of song.

‘Stronger/Plus Forte’ Feat Big Ali – This is my most favourite song off this album.Its a potential single material and have all that it takes to attract new listeners. Its a powerful mesh up between rock and rap/rnb sound,a collaboration with Big Ali. I can feel the NYC atmosphere by listening to this song. Their vocals placing and delivery are both strongs. A dynamic collaboration that will give impact to the listener. This song can be a WWE background song. Or self empowerment anthem song.Something that Christina Aguilera similarly acheived in ‘Cant Hold Us Down’. ‘Stronger’ will elevate anyone’s mood whenever they are down or despair. ‘wanna shut me up?,wanna pull me down?, wanna scratch me up” go ahead and try. Wanna knock me out?wanna put me down? wanna kick me out? yes you can try.’ and the powerful verse from Big Ali “my family makes me stronger, the love makes me stronger, the hate makes me stronger,Anggun Come on!” . From my own test listen to few of my friends(male and female with majority of them are masculine male) who are not a fan of anggun fans; they love this song by just one listen.

Give to to Love/Cette Nuit’ – At the very first listen, this song has an almost identical beat to Timbaland’s ‘Give it To Me’. In fact, it has the same male background vocal in ‘Seize The Moment’. This is a sexy song from Anggun. Complete with Anggun’s seductive whispering voice.Something different than her other previous songs.

‘Hide and Run/Tentation’ – This song has a unique violin intro. Suiting the ‘running’ theme. It has a classical and urban feel with middle eastern influence, rich in texture with every layers of it sound. Addictive and unique at the same time. Something that you may expect to be release by American artist such as Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, and Shakira. ” i will chase you down, unless you say it all”

‘World, Un Jour Sur Terre ‘ – This midtempo song talks about teary situation of our enviroment. A challenges faced by our earth. The french version of this song is used as a theme song for the france version of the award winning documentary ‘Planet Earth’. A perfect song to end a perfect album such as ‘Elevation’.

Similar to her other releases. ‘Elevation’ also contains Anggun collaboration with world reknowned latest DJ to remixed her singles for club plays and urban radio. Laurent Wolf, Tomer G are among the invited list of Hip and talented DJ responsible to remix Anggun’s single for ‘Elevation’. This CD set includes their work as a bonus track to satisfy Anggun fans especially those who are into dance music.

In Summary, a lot of effort has been put by Anggun and her team to show progress in Anggun musical journey and at the same time trying to survive in the bitter and challenging music business, in order to make a record that will be recognize by the music industry worldwide,addicitively appealing to general masses and at the same time able to gain profit to invest in future album projects.

‘Elevation’ marked as the first album from Anggun that features American talented  vocal collaborators such as Pras Micheal and Big Ali, although both of them are still relatively unknown and has yet making their personal significant impact in a American industry.  We could see, how this album has been customize in such away esp it musical and lyrical composition is specificaly created to have a more American feeling to it. Big Ali for example, is an obvious calibre to American bigger talents as Wcley Jean and Elephant Man. While Akon couldve been a slide in for Pras Micheal. Nevertheless, Anggun couldnt have any better collaborator other than Big Ali and Pras Micheal. The result that both collaboration songs are still strong and impactful even without American bigger talents in.

Honestly, ‘Elevation’ is an interesting album. Something that we least expected from Anggun. I felt that this is Anggun begining of her new dimension in creative direction. Perhaps, If she able to secure a reliable American agency and local label to offer her an oppurtunity to expand her creative roots, We shall expect a bigger things in future. Who knows maybe staying there for one or two years will enable Anggun to expand and grow her creativity in a new perspective with the help from American producers and talented collaborators.

One cannot deny the fact that american culture is soluble compared to the european. We could easily identify an american made album with the european. Its the similar but not identical. For example, the lyrical texture are different. American album tend to have simple, street english that reflects the versatile culture there. European lyrics usually shakespeare like. ‘Elevation’ contain a balance between the two. Eventough Its less complicated than ‘Luminescence’ but still able to deliver it beautiful conotation. For example in ‘My Man’, “if you were my man, wont your drop your guns, hands in the air,you shoulve give up for once, so do you dare?” while the chorus “if you wanna be my man, youve got to seize the chasing game” which usually in America they usually put it as “youve got to cut the chasing game”. However, its a matter of preference, hopefully the listener dont find it awkward.

The only concerns is, ‘Elevation’ may not achieve a similar success and acceptance by France market as ‘Luminescence’. The french might take a longer time to accept an album with such “american” feel to it. Despite that, i believe this album will earn praises from fans and expert especially in Asia. No guarantee that it will find a major acceptance in America, but at least if the album is release and promoted in North America it surely give an oppurtunities for ‘Elevation’ to gain a much easier success and airplay elsewhere since Americans medias are easily accesible from every corner of the globe.

No matter what response will be receive for  ‘Elevation’, The album is now set to sail. Its up to you to purchase this album legally, and be your own judge. What matters to me is that ‘Elevation’ has proved to me that its an album crafted with tons of hard work and worth every cents i spent on it.

Its hope that, ‘Elevation’ does not only elevate Anggun creative versatality but able to elevate her fame, recognition and superstar status that she deserve to be.If ‘Luminescence’ sparks Anggun arrival to a much appealing charisma, ‘Elevation’ will surely elevate her even higher in hope for a global fame and recognition. This is by far her most commercialy appealing album to date, and i believe the best is yet to come.Just give her a chance.She wont let you down. I promise.

‘Elevation’ is now on sale in selected countries and online.
I personally recommended amazon.fr (much cheaper) or amazon.com