Sarah Blasko may, as yet, be an unknown name here in the UK, but over in her native Australia, they have taken the singer-songwriter to their hearts. She is a multiple award winner over there, and a big radio hit, but it’s only now, that Sarah feels the time is right to deliver her music to a European audience, and try to replicate the success she’s had in her home country.

Sarah’s music will arrive in the UK in March, and if first impressions are anything to go by, I think she will fit in pretty well over here. Sarah Blasko is an artist who takes quite a pure, natural approach to her songwriting, and the end result is a subtle, simple, yet very atmospheric instrumentation, that doesn’t rely on effects pedals and guitars. The main focus of her debut UK release ‘We Won’t Run’ is an earthy drum beat, which is joined at various points by a haunting vocal backing, and in the chorus strings/piano. It’s a track that has an old school jazz/folk tinge to it, and is not too far removed from other material that’s around at the moment. With lyrics like “we won’t run, we can fight, all that keeps us up at night”, its also likely to be a song that can be related to quite a few different situations lyrically, broadening it’s appeal.

This track is accompanied by a video that has made this review task rather special. Cameras begin by panning through a dark, shadowy forest, and eventually focus in on Sarah Blasko singing. The song continues on its melodic, atmospheric way, before the camera eventually starts to zoom out on Sarah Blasko. The end result is the singer standing in a giant eye, which is edged with trees, supposedly to symbolise the darkness, fear, and uncertainty a human can see, and feel. I’m not entirely sure I’ve ‘got’ the symbolism here, or the overall theme of the song, but it’s a very strong video, and without a doubt one of the most creative representations of a song I’ve seen in a long time! The video alone is enough to ignite my interest in this artist, and although I wouldn’t normally listen to a lot of jazz/folk music, I found myself enjoying the song too.

View the video above, or listen out for ‘We Won’t Run’ when it’s released in the UK on 22nd March. You can also catch Sarah on tour with The Temper Trap throughout April and May. For more information visit www.myspace.com/sarahblasko