(PR) Australian singer/songwriter Sandrine is set to make her North American debut with Dark Fades Into The Light, out April 1, 2008 on Nettwerk Records. Produced by Malcolm Burn (Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris, Rachael Yamagata), Dark Fades Into The Light is an intimate blend of melodies that incorporate elements of classic sixties pop with contemporary neo-soul. The daughter of a minister, Sandrine began performing at the early age of 6, when her father organized the family into a Christian music group. They toured New Zealand, selling homemade CDs from the side of the stage. It wasn't until her rebellious teenage years when she was working as waitress in a local cafe that she was exposed to mainstream music; the first record someone gave her was the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers, and she was forever changed. She immediately picked up a guitar and started writing.
Sandrine hit the Australian music scene in 2004 with her first album Trigger (Sony Music Australia), which was released to critical acclaim. The title track made it into the Top 20 of the Australian pop charts and she was named Songwriter of the Year by a major commercial station. Despite glowing reviews and critical support, Sandrine was often stereotyped as a pop confection due to her willowy blonde beauty. "When I would go out to play, people were always surprised by me, almost shocked that I was a real musician," says Sandrine.
For her next album, Sandrine decided to take back control of her career; she set out to find a producer outside of Australia to make a more natural and raw album. She and Burn connected with the intention of cutting three songs together, but their chemistry as collaborators and the nurturing atmosphere of Burn's upstate New York residential studio compelled them to keep recording. The album features Sandrine on various keyboards and guitars, and on most tracks she is backed only by a rhythm section in a just-about-live setting.
