New Imogen Heap - "First Train Home"
"First Train Home," the opening song on Ellipse, Imogen Heap's forthcoming third studio album, is also its first single. It's a driving, electro-tinged track about getting home ASAP, among other things. The English singer-songwriter recently made a bit of a racket when an unopened watermarked copy of Ellipse belonging to a London journalist showed up on eBay. As the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy Blog reports, she requested (via Twitter) that her fans jokingly bid on it. They responded, getting it into the millions before eBay decided to stop the auction. Not sure if there are any lessons to take home there -- it's not quite as dramatic as this -- but here's your chance to see if it was worth the trouble.
Ellipse is out 8/24 in the UK and 8/25 in North America via Megaphonic/Epic/Sony.
Posted at 2:46 PM by brandon in Album Art
Tags: Imogen Heap
I never noticed how much Kristen Wiig looks like Imogen Heap until this picture.
Score = 10
I thought the exact same thing!!
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Imogen Heap (L)
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her albums were always so great while doing homework. I wonder if I'll still like her now that I'm done with school. ....Yes
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I used to always listen to her while I did homework!
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Me too! She's the best homework music.
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She's amazing, brilliant, and has got me through some really tough times! Thanks Imogen!!
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Thanks for posting! Brilliant song! Let's upport Immi. She had a hard time with the guy selling her upcoming album on ebay. Immi's right. She doesn't mind someone leaking it on the internet but to profit in that album is totally ridiculous! way to go Immi!
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Great voice, great layers in this song. Thanks for posting this Brandon.
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Dear Imogen Heap, I love you. 'nuff said.
Apart from that, it's a tremendous introduction. I sincerely hope I'll get to see you play sometime.
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Funny - both Imogen and Kristen are probably my 2 favourite women entertainers. This song is beautiful - textural - listen with headphones. Note to all - Imogen is writer, arranger, producer, singer, and friggin RECORDING ENGINEER EXTRAORDINAIRE! - Genius genius genius. Love it. Aloha from the island where this album all started - Maui.
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I'm so glad you chose the Hotel Cafe....I love that place.....thanks for the opportunity! I wish I could bring my daughter (19) but it's over 21 only right? even at 1pm ?
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Brilliant is a perfect description.
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What a very, very beautiful song. Wow.
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I should have known that, by listening to this song, it would remind me of my annoying ex-girlfriends.
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So it reminded you of nobody?
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grammar check: no need for either of those commas.
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Last comma was needed.
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I can't even describe how excited I am to get this album. Immi you are my favorite artist of ALL time, so musically brilliant and really get's ya down deep! I REALLY hope when you tour you will come to Canada....possibly Ontario??? Please :)
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Thank you for your brilliant music. This song is so full of life!
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What is it... that the moment you hear the first 10 seconds of Immi's songs you love them instantly. Whereas, some artists you have to hear the songs like 10 times in whole before you love them. I'm so excited for this new album...and so excited for you Immi on your huge success with it......Bravo!
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it's because she's a songwriting and production genius...
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It's because the best music requires multiple listens to get fully into, and she isn't the best music.
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Oh, my mistake. I got downvoted for suggesting that Imogen Heap is not the best songwriter of all time and that the best music requires more than one listen to enjoy.
Will be more logical next time.
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This is my new favourite page :-)
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looks like a lot of "street teamers" on this thread
go team immi go?? is there some sort of prize here??
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I am considering taking a day off from work on 25 August in order to buy her new record and spend the day listening.
I love Immi!
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Congrats!!! Miss Imogen, I hope that you get this message.
It has been a long way to get your cd out and since I hear it that day in the car sound GREAT!!!
The best of luck on the sales of the cd and let us ( Liam and I ) know when and where will you be touring the US to try to make it to one of your shows here.
Lots of ALOHA. Luis.
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this is amazing! i cried the first time i heard it... no joke. it's so good; definitely well worth the wait!!! :)
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Gods I love her - she's soo talented
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August, eh? Dang!
If the rest of the LP is as good as "First Train Home", it's going to be absolutely wonderful!
:)
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I thought Stereogum was a male-only gig. Whatever, Imogen fans can stay as long as they spell correctly.
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this is a wonderful sounding record! i love everything about her, her voice,her songwriting, her arrangements, her mixing....most of all i love her soul which she shares so generously
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remarkable!
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What a beautiful beginning to a journey. You are lovely dear miss heap.
kudos to you,
xx
-Prem Alan
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wtf is going on in here. imogen heap is seriously not that great. everyone just calm down.
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Now that Michael Jackson is dead - we've all decided that Imogen will take over the throne...we await your commands dear queen...
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love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Marry me!
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Just beautiful. Cannot wait for August!
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What a beautiful beginning to a journey. You are lovely dear miss heap.
kudos to you,
xx
-Prem Alan
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... what the hell is going on here? she posted the link on her website, didn't she?
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FANTASTIC!!! I can't wait until August. I already have the album reserved! I'm excited for Canvas too!
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More importantly, what does Jay Reatard think of this?
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First, I am pleasantly shocked that this is getting such a positive reaction on The 'Gum, nice to see something different being covered, and I love the whole eBay fan retaliation, nice work!
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Not dramatic enough.
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Wait til you hear "Swoon" - I agree with you this might not be ground breaking enough to be the first single. It probably could be remixed into a killer dance tune though. Swoon is out of control good.
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Oh, is that really the album cover she chose? Her right eye is clearly pasted on, it's too close to the other!
Lovely song, though :D
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Probably just an illusion from her bangs. We're so used to seeing images of women photoshopped to perfection that when we see a natural person who lacks perfect symmetry it will appear to be a flaw.
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I hope it *is* just an illusion, you're probably right :D It just...I dunno, looking at other pictures of Immi it looks odd. But like you said, probably just the bangs!
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oh my heck!!!!! you have no clue how happy this song makes me! I cannot wait for your album to come out! Come to Utah when you tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Simply b e a u t i f u l !
Love from Mexico :)
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This new song is "wonderful" !!! The first time I listened to it, I really liked it. But with this song, the more you listen to it, the better it gets. Imogen, you are an amazing talent and I think you are one of the best artists today !!! Sherrie : )
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Imogen Heap forever
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It is great to hear some new material from immi. Can't wait for the album, and more importantly some live shows. Nice job Heap.
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I was trying to figure out wtf was going on with the comments in this section, Then I realized that traffic was being directed from her website. Everybody having a boner for her. Let's try to get some constructive criticism. And stop with the shout outs from different places all over the world. I hate that shit.
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Oh ok. I was wondering what happened. I was like, where's the snark that I know and love? I thought maybe every last Stereogum commenter took some X and decided to listen to this song. I'm not used to all this love and good will. It's much too much!
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Imogen restores my faith in sheer talent and gorgeous vision..and boy does she have the ears to die for and the voice....genius is this...and I want to cry...she owns our souls....does she play guitar?
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good god. is this a sarcastic joke? i hope so. it's a pretty good song but it's not fucking Beethoven
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"She owns our souls"? WTF? The posts on this thread are making me think I'm in some sort of cult.
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Woohoo!! <3 Imogen :D
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the first time i listened to this i was really unsure wheather i likd it or not, but then i played it bck a couple of times before i actually understood it and could hear all the little parts of melody, and now i just absolutly LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
luv immi, cnt wait till 24th august :D
xx
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I feel alive for the first time. Best. Song. Ever.
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I like imogen and all...but this has gotten a little..well..ridic.
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nice song
but i would have chosen someting more fierce or a stronger song as a first single, mostly because now she has a bigger fan base
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The moon must so listen to your music to.!!!!! Thank you immi you mean so much to me!!!
May you remember this the rest of your life, i will!!!!
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The moon must so not give a shit what you think.
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omg i love it i want the cd now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Heap music makes my brain swoon. My absolute favorite.
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I always thought Imogen Heap was a band name, not a person's name.
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animal collective>imogen heap fans
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beautiful, as usual. love imogen!
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Dear me i can't stop listening to this beauty! hehe!
Oh how I love you Imogen! :)
xx
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I have no idea what's going on here.
This has gotten way ridiculous. all the "Imogen, come to my city! Omgz so beautiful" SHE WILL NOT READ THIS AND DOES NOT CARE. JESUS. GET THE FUCK OUT.
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Hey, hey, hey. Now just hush.
I made a video of me acting all silly & dancing to one of her songs once, & she actually commented me back over it.
So don't think Immi doesn't care. She's probably sitting back in her seat smiling ear to ear over the sweet comments people have left!
xxxx :)
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I know, right? I remember one time when I was hanging out on Mount Horeb and Immi appeared to me in a burning bush.
She really cares, you guys.
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This is a joke right? Immogen Heap of generic crap.
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It's okay if you like or dislike Imogen Heap's music. But you don't have to be mean. Makes you look like you're bitter (and i'm sure you're NOT). There's too many types of music for tons of different people. It's not worth fighting
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you clearly aren't familiar with this blog then
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"SHE WILL NOT READ THIS AND DOES NOT CARE. JESUS. GET THE FUCK OUT"
And for "Really?"
You don't have to read all the commenst if you don't want to. Why are you so upset? Did someone hurt you? And again, there's no need to be mean.
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OMG that's freaking awesome. can't wait till elipse. does it get released in australia?
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Yeah, sure does. Around about the 25th of August I think (that's when it's being released in America) but it could have some kind of hemispherial-publishing dely =P It will definitely be released in Aus though *thumbs up*
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Check out my dance remix of "First Train Home" ....
http://djzax.com/2009/07/11/imogen-heap-first-train-home-dj-zax-vs-stonebridge-club-mix/
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when i first heard this song it was like the skies parted and imogen heap descended from the heavens beckoning my very heart and soul to bask in the glory of her aura. her larynx was like a celestial horn being played by god himself and the beat was like a bed of feathery clouds shrouding me from all of the wrongs in the world.
...also i think this song would be good to listen to while doing my homework!
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wow sounds pretty amazing
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Holy shit. Imogen fans sure are a creepy bunch of care bears.
I'd listen to the song if I wasn't so afraid of becoming one of you.
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She really nailed that "can't wait to hear it at starbucks" sound.
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Love your work Imogen. I don't know this site well, but it looks like your getting a lot of comments and are making some people jealous LOL. The people who think what they listen to is better because they listen to it and it's in their genre and is getting less comments on this site.
Anyway. I like this song, it grows on me. I'm more into your more dramatic down tempo songs though and I know you have a lot of those in store on the album. I'm excited to hear Canvas, Half Life, and Earth. I think Earth especially. I heard something good somewhere about that one.
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First Train Home is perfectly beautiful..... I can't wait to buy Ellipse! Thanks so much for the preview at the Hotel Cafe, the sound there was awesome but I'm really looking forward to hearing the whole album on my headphones!
(Don't mind the snarky comments here Immi, it's just like male dogs pissing on everything to mark "their" territory.) Cheers!
Score = -9
The song is decent but I just can't believe the amount of awful comments people are leaving.
I think I'm the oldest one here and I'm 19.
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Welcome to Stereogum bitch!
I actually just listened to this song; it blows as much as I figured it would.
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I'm 21. I like the song. But man, no one should get this much appraisal. No one.
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Fuck, did I miss the "it's cool to 'ironically like' Immogen Heap" memo?
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She has done it again! A sample of masterpiece of her best album yet!!!
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Have you guys seen the quirky trailer for the album?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dJ1VhXj9IM
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I haven't been this excited for an album in a long time!! YAY!
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Honestly, I've wished Stereogum commenters were more positive at times but this thread is CREEPING ME THE HELL OUT.
Also, Imogen is alright you guys but sheesh, she's not the second coming.
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Also, is it just me or does the Stereogum write-up scream "paid to play"? It's a polite nothing. At least usually they give you an idea of whether they're feeling the tune or not.
Also I fail to see how this isn't a fairly pedestrian retread of territory she's already covered. I dig parts of the first album and the Frou Frou disc is pretty great, but... meh, I don't care enough to fight a war here with a legion of fans. Go enjoy your new track kids.
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Joe: Yes.
STEREOGUM Y R U SELLIN OUT.
Oh wait, this is STEREOGUM.
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I heard Imogen Heap has halitosis.
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Guys. Music is objective. That's why we get to have your own opinion. And finally, Imogen Heap ruled way before that fucktard put her on the Garden State soundtrack. If you listen to Frou Frou and tell me it's not good, you simply are deaf. Speak And Spell has some amazing tracks as well. lighten up. it's music. on the fucking internet.
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I agree with Matt >>> Music is oblective. It's negative and misunderstood on one side but it's also positive and pronounced on the other. Music will always be like that.
Uh, but Matt? Did you mean "Speak for yourself"? Immy's 2nd solo album? If so, yes; amazing tracks on that too ^.^
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Half the people here that claim to love this song are using good 'ol sarcasm people. The other half are hating because they obviously don't feel the song is any good.
Is there really one single artist we can all agree to love? I think not.
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wavves. duh.
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I thought the required response was 'Animal Collective'. We're all supposed to like them, right?
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wow.... this song is amazing! I like it :) I really hope the album will be released in my country :/
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Flash mobs have nothing on Imogen Heap.
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This thread cracked me up!! Imogen Heap fans are so adorable bringing their what seems to be pure love for an artist to a music blog. SO CUTE. Aww i just want to squeeze them! Squeeze them and set them free. Good bye little Imogen Heap fans! Have a safe trip back to Imogen Heaps Myspace page!
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Sorry HeapArmy, but this song is weak. Put down your lollies, teddy-bears and your "I HEART Imogen" school folders. I know we're all struggling since Sarah McLachlan hasn't released a real album in over three years. I saw that this was the most commented-on page on the site and thought it must be a joke or Drudge Report linked to Stereogum. But then I realized the joke is that this isn't one. Ugh.
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Okay -- so alot of the comments are jokes -- my fave being "she owns our souls." (At least I hope you're kidding.) Ha.
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HEAP of crap!
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Hilarious comments just made my day.. Aww Immi? I was expecting to see the typical negative hipster comments about how lousy this song is... I never even heard anyone say "Immi" do people really call her that ?
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A quick twitter search of '@imogenheap' brought these results. all within the last few hours.
- @imogenheap don't let them trample on you! I am breathing a little bit of life into your grand plan
- @imogenheapAnd a bigger thank you for caring enough to make the worlds you create and share BEAUTIFUL!!
- @imogenheap Thank you for healing me in places no one else has ever been able to heal me. May I refer to you as Dr. Heap?
I think there's cause for alarm.
Score = 1
can't wait, been looking fwd to this for so long. her vocals do it for me, since her first album. but what gets my respect is that she knows how to walk the thin line of musicality, artistry, and commercialality (is that even a word?)
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Frou Frou > Imogen Heap
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Frou Frou = Imogen Heap + Guy Sigsworth
Therefore, Frou Frou cannot be greater than Imogen Heap.
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it sounds very airy..
y.
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LOVE this woman's melodics! i get goosebumps with that voice listening to just about every 1 of her tracks...
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