The Icelandic singer who, at first sight, certainly comes across as timid and shy, yet again managed to entertain and captivate the Berlin audience with her unrelated stories of “Death metal” love and “hippie hop” collaborations that interspersed her set of dreamy and haunting songs. These supernatural sounds were perfectly fitting for the venue – the warm and beautifully-lit Church of the Passion (Passionskirche) in Berlin’s Kreuzberg. This atmospheric setting was the latest date in Torrini’s significant European tour calender, and her broken German and quirkiness quickly won over a receptive crowd.
The show began quietly with the simple “Snow” setting the tone for the evening. “Lifesaver”, with its use of accordeon and creaking ship noises, combined well to create an eerie atmosphere. That eerieness was quickly dispersed, however, once Torrini’s more poppy side came to the fore in the form of the catchy “Blood Star”. One of the highlights of the evening came from a B-side called “Forget me not”, a simple yet simply wonderful song of love and emotions.
Working with Sneaker Pimps produced the inspiring “Thinking of Love” which served as a prelude to “Summer Breeze” – a song co-written with none other than the Son of God, any specific religious orientation, however, had been discounted earlier. She and the excellent musicians that accompanied her took their leave to rapturous applause, whose relentlessness, however, managed to entice them back out.
“If you go again”, bearing a startling resemblance to Jacques Brel’s classic “Ne me quitte pas”, finally showed the audience the depth of her vocal range and wrapped up a thoroughly enjoyable and delightful evening.