Siulelbon’s Media Blog

There are some artists that just keep jumping out at you, even when you’re not looking for them. Each time they come to you it’s a welcome and enjoyable experience, but for some reason you only keep listening to the one song you have without looking for more. 

Sia (Furler) was, for me, one of those artists.

She came to me twice: first, as the singer of a Zero 7 song in the soundtrack of Zach Braff’s movie, Garden State; then, as a solo artist with her new single, “Buttons”.

Since it’s the newest thing, let’s start with her new single:

“Buttons” – Sia [DOWNLOAD]

It’s upbeat, catchy and, frankly, weird. “Buttons” is the least generic piece of music you’ll hear today. Sia’s vocals shift back and forth from spoken to sung, magnificently complimenting the beat. But the music is even more interesting: The opening of the song reminds me of bad grocery store muzak and I think I hear a tambourine in the mix, too. It’s great! The song doesn’t only consist of odd instrumentation, though. The base, drums, guitar and piano really add to the funky feel that’s much too hard to explain. The lyrics are, in places, as loopy as the song itself. Just listen to it, already!

“Breathe Me” – Sia [DOWNLOAD]

This song is from Sia’s previous album, Colour the Small One. Yes, you’ve probably heard it somewhere before. The song seems like it has been everywhere since its release in 2004. ( The song closed the series Six Feet Under in 2005 and gained much airplay in 2006, reaching #14 on Billboard’s Heatseekers.) What I love about ”Breathe Me” is that it is most assuredly not a precursor to “Buttons”; you might not believe that the same artist produced these two songs. “Breathe Me” is a beautiful cry for help whereas “Buttons” is much more playful about emotional pain. The song is stunningly gorgeous, the build to the climax is genius. Here’s the thing: Sia does not have a particularly beautiful voice, but it is perfect for this song. It’s beautiful, download it.

[Check out the video, it's awesome.]

“In The Waiting Line” – Zero 7 [DOWNLOAD] 

This was my introduction to the vocal stylings of Sia. She’s not really part of Zero 7, who use several different vocalists on their tracks, as most electronic artists do. This song is one of their most popular, probably because if was used in Garden State, Sex and the City and House. ”In The Waiting Line” lends itself to great cinematic moments; however,  it stands on its own much better. I would categorize it, lyrically, as a “life is a long, winding road” song. It’s sound is dreamy, almost surreal. It has a good late-night feel (most electronica does, I’ve found).  This is one of those songs that creates a scene in my mind: I’m driving on an empty freeway at night, the city lights are speeding by, but I’m still in “the waiting line”. Whatever that may mean to you. Give this one good number of listens, it grows as you do.

What do you think of Sia’s versatility and vocal/musical talent? Please leave me a comment!