I first came to Anneke van Giersbergen via The Gathering, specifically the incredible Mandylion.  She’s one of those people whose voice is just so good as soon as you hear it in a song you know you’re going to be in good hands.  She’s often the best thing about a song, too: there’s a reason Devin Townsend keeps working with her, and her side projects with Danny Cavanagh of Anathema are equally fantastic in a totally different way.  But what about her solo work?  Well, let’s see with a (very) quick look at the oddly named Agua de Annique and Air.

More than anything else it comes off like a lighter, subtler version of The Gathering.  The music is actually fairly unremarkable, utilized to really back up Anneke van Giersbergen’s fabulous voice, which carries each song through beautiful, fragile melodies and strong choruses.  There are a couple harder rock songs, like the opener “Beautiful One” and the rocking “You Are Nice!” but overall these are sedate affairs, more ambience than anything else.  But when it’s her carrying it forward, that’s really all I need.

Still don’t understand the band name though.  Or that weird cover…