Known to most by her stage name Montaigne, Jessica Cerro has been on our radars since 2012, where she emerged as a triple j Unearthed finalist for her indie pop song Anyone But Me. The highly-anticipated album contains 13 tracks, plus one “hidden track”.
Glorious Heights delivers a satisfying mix of upbeat pop tracks and raw stripped-back ballads. One of the highlight tracks was Because I Love You. It’s just one of those songs you listen to once and feel like there was never a time you didn’t know the song. The combination of the synthesiser and familiar beat makes it easy to click repeat.
The sixth track, Consolation Prize is the slowest track on the album – a ballad, sang beautifully. Accompanied mostly by the piano, Montaigne combines her impressive vocal range with the deep and powerful lyrics: “I am not afraid to fall I am still standing here after all.”
And now – the hidden track. Wow, it’s dark. It comes in around 6:40 after track 13, and it’s titled The Debt. It’s sang acapella style and is haunting in it’s honest lyrics and unpredictable melody. The pitch-perfect harmonies and sudden backing vocals almost resemble a sort of darker internal voice. Overall, Glorious Heights is a very strong debut and definitely showcases Montaigne’s powerful vocals and song-writing ability.
Reviewed by Tayla Haigh
Out via Wonderlick Recording Company / Sony Music Entertainment Australia
