Claudia Balla’s ‘White Bird’ comes in her latest album Winter Tale as a continuation of her chamber pop style rich with jazz instrumentation, sublime tenderness in melody and atmosphere, and with Balla’s strong and understated voice in the forefront, quite the soft feel is established, making this song float gracefully along, just like the white bird it sings of.
A Geneva based songwriter and singer, Claudia’s pop is deeply steeped in European folk traditions, spanning the continent. On ‘White Bird’, a song that likens love to an elusive and fragile white bird that is totally uncontrollable, but blissful to be witnessed, the singer utilizes an incredibly gentle arrangement that matches the softness of the words and of the composition. A harp-sounding piano leads the arrangement with restrained but effervescent arpeggios that stand out, supported by a booming upright bass that is performed with utter restraint and economy, making every single note heavy in impact, and by an ethereal choir that is beautifully arranged with nuanced multi-line movements and rhythmically intricate melodies.
The whole arrangement on ‘White Bird’ is well thought out and well rounded, a clear testament to Balla’s outstanding vision that is not only lyrical or melodic, but also extending to atmospherics. Wonderfully produced, peaceful sounding, genially worded, and musically proficient, Claudia Balla’s ‘White Bird’ is as delightful to witness as its titular protagonist.