Sietta – The Seventh Passenger

By Liam | Wednesday, 6 July | No Comment

Sietta are definitely the next big thing to come out of Darwin. The first time I was exposed to singer Caiti Baker and beatmaster and instrumentalist James Mangohig was at a spur-of-the-moment gig at Fringe @ The Bank, way back in 2009, where I played an acoustic set before them.

Recently, things have been going well for the duo. Having just signed to Elefant Traks (the record label founded by The Herd), their single “What Am I Supposed To Do?” is being played regularly on Triple J and other radio stations, as well as on Rage. Their new album The Seventh Passenger is co-produced by Count Bounce, who is known for working with acts like Ash Grunwald and Urthboy. It will be launched in the NT this Saturday, July 9 at Happy Yess.

The obvious standout tracks are the single “What Am I Supposed To Do”, with a contemporary hip hop beat, and the creepy, Dexter-referencing, “Dark Passenger”, in which a sinister gospel choir carries the hook (He’s my Dark Passenger/ I’m his armed Carrier), referencing mental health issues.

The album overall has a Hip Hop vibe, with soul/blues vocals. Other influences shine through however as the album moves from a dubstep wobble on “Strangers” to a bluesy guitar riff on “Arrived”, to an African tribal theme on “You Gave Me”. It’s a seriously eclectic mix of songs but it works; each song sounds distinctly different from the last, but they all still retain the Sietta vibe.

Most of the songs are instantly likeable, and others that might not have been as noticeable at first, become much more compelling upon further listening. “I Was A Queen”, is a great example of this; after the second listen it became one of my favourite tracks. It’s a reflective ballad about childhood, with a massive electronica feel, sounding a little bit like Ratatat.

If there’s a weak song on the album, it’s “Doormat”, which unfortunately sounds much more like a straightforward pop song than a Sietta album. At the end of the day, the one song fails to diminish the outstanding work on the rest of the album.

Overall, The Seventh Passenger is an astonishing debut effort from Sietta. Probably my favourite album to come out of Darwin, and definitely up there with some of my favourite Australian albums too. It’s not every day that I come across an album where almost every song draws me in and gets me hooked almost immediately.

Don’t forget to catch Sietta at Happy Yess THIS WEEKEND for the official launch of The Seventh Passenger. There are a limited number of tickets available, so get them quick here!

For more Sietta news, you can like them on Facebook, or check out their official website!

Coming soon – GRINDonline’s interview with Sietta!