Liv Summer, Over Land and Sea Review

Liv Summer is a singer and songwriter based in Berlin. Summer studied jazz vocals in Switzerland and after graduating school, she settled in Zurich, taught music and performed at gigs. Two years ago, she quit her job, started writing songs, learned guitar and moved to Berlin. She is now playing street music in the city and does what she likes and smiles a lot. Summer met her producer, who wasn’t exactly what she had in mind for a while: recording her songs as pure and honest as possible. Just like she sings them on the streets with no high-gloss production, simply, solid honest music. The result is the EP titled, Over Land and Sea, which contain 5 intimate songs.

“Underwater” highlights an active acoustic guitar pattern. Summer’s voice enters and instantly her pure and emotional singing captures your attention. There are overtones of Switzerland in her accent, but her diction and pitch are pure. The lyrics paint pictures and emotions. The bridge is a beautiful soundscape of swelling electric guitars and Summer’s angelic voice. Performing on the streets of Berlin has certainly made Summer a focused and intuitive musician.

“Dangerous” presents Summer in a setting of a full band with a muted trumpet and Summer showing her jazz sensibilities. The first chorus is just Summer and electric guitar. When the chorus enters, the expanded sounds match the lyrics and emotion. Summer has a full vocal range and her tenderness is always present and presented honestly. The music is organic, as are the lyrics. When the full band enters an added sonic of backing vocals is added, the fullness is moving, as we are clearly given the climax of the tune.

Liv Summer is a name I expect you will hear more of in the coming years, her organic and natural sound is spellbinding, and Over Land and Sea displays her uniquely emotional sound that focuses purely on her voice with its clarity and humanness.