Fauxliage

Sounds like … Sixpence None the Richer meets Frou Frou, as Leigh Nash sings over a warmer and more mellow version of Delerium's textured electronic pop.

At a glance … though the songwriting isn't always compelling, Fauxliage proves an effective collaboration for fans of Nash's lilting vocal and Delerium's beautiful alt-pop ambience.

Canadians Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber have been making music since 1986, first as members of industrial band Front Line Assembly, and later as their own electronic-pop side project Delerium. Their work as a duo only found commercial success in the mid-'90s once they began featuring prominent guest vocalists, most notably Sarah McLachlan on the smash hit "Silence" and Leigh Nash for the single "Innocente (Falling in Love)." So taken with the former Sixpence vocalist, they continued to use Nash on other songs and eventually chose to work with her exclusively for a project. Since she contributed vocals and songwriting to all but two tracks, Delerium felt it only appropriate to rechristen their collaboration. Thus Fauxliage.

Since the bulk of Nash's songs with Sixpence and her solo project weren't overtly spiritual, listeners shouldn't expect much in the way of overt Christian expressions here either. It's generally a little more abstract than her previous, mostly focusing on relationships ("Without You") and haunting laments ("All the World," "All Alone"). But she wrote the single "Rafe" to comfort an ailing cousin, and there's hopefulness to "Someday the Wind" ("The storm will never lose control/She will rise and fall with the tide/I have found something to hold/A place to go/Somewhere to hide"). Also, "Draw My Life" voices newfound perspective and grace that seems to lead to a change of heart ("I'll find my way again/I never thought that I could make such a mess/I got this feeling that it's gonna be all right/And I'll begin again tonight").

It's really the music that's the draw here, with Nash's familiar soft and lilting vocal gracefully adorning the textured ambience of Delerium. This album has more warmth than previous Delerium projects, relying heavily on Rhodes electric piano with acoustic guitar over mostly programmed beats and splashes of electronic effects. The Gabin Remix of "Rafe" provides a classic rock 'n' soul groove that would have been a lively addition to other tracks. Still, while the album isn't always compelling, it's undeniably gorgeous stuff. These three artists are a well-matched team.

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