REVIEW: Johanna Rittiner Sermier — Regeden (SINGLE)
While Switzerland may not have the same amount of record breaking or well-known singer and songwriters as the States, England or pop powerhouse, Sweden, it’s not to say that this European country hasn’t made its mark in the music industry. Icon Tina Turner now resides there (as she has for decades) and 80s MTV best-dressed singer Robert Palmer (“Addicted To Love”) is from Switzerland. One name to add to your purview is Johanna Rittiner Sermier. Her new single, “Regeden” climbs its way into the heart. Sermier’s Swiss talents are just too good to miss.
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In all her vocal glory, Sermier swaddles the listener under her care. The mesmerizing song has waves of somber and hope wrapped together tightly. Sermier, who sings “Regeden” in English, appears to be reclaiming something. She’s reconnecting with someone and fully anticipating it being a huge moment. I think she’s trying to have an inner conversation, too, on what that means to see herself through someone else’s eyes. From the sound of the lyrics, Sermier is ready to give her full self to them. I found her striking voice to be climatic and invigorating. She’s believable and you glob onto her artistry.
She’s also an opera singer, and it’s easy to hear that training and that octave range playing out.
The murky music bedrock, a blend of dark guitar chords and a cadence that saunters around like a sophisticated dance, mellowed my mood. It made me content; it’s a fine juxtaposition to the gilded voice bellowing through Sermier. She’s another planetary — out of this world. The music and the rhythm in “Regeden” washes over you like you’re riding a wave. It’s like you’re floating on unchartered waters. Sermier brings a wealth of intensity into the studio — you can’t replicate or fabricate the artistry she propels onto this track. “Regeden” invokes a spell onto the listener. I was left nearly speechless. It’s such a barrage of energy within her voice that it did take more than one listen to isolate the music bed. Once I was able to listen a few more times, I was able to unravel a different rush of emotions and reactions. They were quite different the second time around (like they usually are!). I was relaxed. It was almost like meditation, slinking into that music base. I love sounds and songs that take me to those arenas and give me a chance to decompress.
In a very cluttered and clouded music field, “Regeden” stands out for its stability and commitment to having a sound with integrity. This is a song for the classical music lover, the dreamer. It’s a song to enjoy for someone that wants to escape into their playlist and pierce their heart with an artist that conveys a plethora of feelings in a small amount of time. I think it’s also a song for the audiophile that enjoys music scores, folk music (Irish folk music perhaps) and New Age music. Sermier garners top marks for her expressive performance — “Regeden” never falters and rises to the top.
Colin Jordan
