Album Review: Ngaiire - Blastoma

The second album Blastoma from 32-year-old Papua New Guinean, Sydney-based soul songstress Ngaiire, features collaborations with local artists Paul Mac, Megan Washington and Jack Grace. Named after a form of cancer she survived as a young child, the album sees Ngaiire exploring the boundaries of contemporary Australian neo-soul.

Ngaiire's single Once, released in July last year, landed her a spot in the Hottest 100, also making her the first Papua New Guinean musician to make the radio station's annual music listener poll. Blastoma takes somewhat of an introspective approach to songwriting, with the sultry, emotion-filled I Wear Black, "It's over, I'm shedding my skin, slipping in and out of colour again, maybe over is where it begins...", not only referencing her past battle with cancer, but a recent breakup after returning to Sydney from touring internationally.

The album as a whole, crosses soul and electronica from the incredibly catchy, almost pop track Diggin to the subtler, minimal I Can't Hear God Anymore, to the monumental electro-pop, soul ballad Many Things. Blastoma sees Ngaiire finally carve out quite a solid name for herself, as a strong vocalist and a rising star at the forefront of Aussie future-soul.