Amsterdam singer Dotan Harpenau changed course in the run-up to his second album 7 Layers. British producers Martin Terefe ( , ) and Sacha Skarbek ( , ) from his well-received debut (2011) were pushed aside. Dotan took full control of the production. That has ensured that 7 Layers does not sound as slick as its predecessor, although remarkably little has changed in terms of style and content.
The Amsterdammer shines with his dreamy voice and matching lyrics in the acoustic tracks Hush, Swim To You and the confronting closing song Ghost. At the same time there is room for hope and reflection in the warm Fall and the atmospheric title track, in which he is remarkably similar to Josh Ritter. Dotan mainly shrugged off the commercial edge on 7 Layers and that did not damage production. (BvdV)more