Eve Goodman and SERA (Sarah Zyborska) are songwriters (and singers) who grew up in Caernarfon, Wales. They met on a BBC singing competition years ago. More recently they discovered an interest in the Welsh language (I get the feeling that they are not native speakers). The songs on this album are about different plants and animals, or at least, that's what they say. My grasp of Welsh is nonexistent.

Eve Goodman + SERA Natur (self-released)

These sparsely-populated songs (most have at most a piano or perhaps an acoustic stringed instrument for accompaniment) soar on the pair's vocals. These are not duets in the normal style. The two might sing a bit on their own, in unison or harmony. If you are familiar with the Indigo Girls pre-major label recordings, you might have a sense of the sounds here.

The melodies and musical settings are gorgeous, and the two voices match despite (or honestly, because of) their different timbres. Do I know what they're singing about? No. Am I entranced? Totally.

While I have reviewed a number of Welsh rock and electronic acts, this album shows off a different side altogether. I don't believe that the music is at all indicative of Welsh folk; its influences are far more wide-ranging. But the contemplative and inquisitive nature of these songs is impossible to escape. It's not clear if this is a one-off or the beginning of something. Either way, Eve Goodman + SERA have found a beautiful place to rest for the moment.

Jon Worley