Co-produced by Runga’s partner, Kody Nielsen, Close Your Eyes has peaks and plateaus. Kanye West’s Wolves gets a little more air, along with dreamy vocals; The Meters’ What’cha Say is a nice mash-up of compressed bass and angular drums; and Nick Drake’s Things Behind The Sun receives an upbeat facelift. Yet Neil Young’s Only Love Will Break Your Heart and Roberta Flack’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face are approached with almost too much reverence.
• Bic Runga. Close Your Eyes. Sony.
• Three and a a hlaf stars (out of five)
Single download: Close Your Eyes
For those who like: Jacques Brel
— Shane Gilchrist
