Signs

Following on from their self-titled 2017 debut, the Euro-Polynesian duo Vaiteani is made up of Tahitian singer Vaiteani Teaniniuraitemoana and French multi-instrumentalist Luc Totterwitz. But while Vaiteani's mellow music is steeped in Pacific culture, it's also tempered by a more global singer-songwriter sensibility. A delicate blend of contemporary Polynesian folk, catchy pop and refined electronics, with a touch of African influence, the pair's second album is subtly co-produced by Totterwitz and French producer-arranger David Grumel. The lone exception is the Afro-reggaed track ‘Angry’, which has Malian-based Frenchman Manjul (aka Julien Souletie) overseeing production duties.

Born and raised in Tahiti, and schooled in France, Teaniniuraitemoana's own intimate, crystal-clear vocals once again lead the way, with her standout tracks on this collection including the lovely Tahitian language songs ‘Homai’ and ‘Heitiare’, along with the English ‘Embrace’, a sprightly-paced ‘Reason’ and the bilingual ‘Kiss Kiss’. Vaiteani's elegant vocals are well-complemented by Luc's gentle use of guitar, ukulele, oud and balafon, and Grumel's nuanced contributions on keyboards and percussion are also noteworthy. While in some ways creatively challenging Polynesian musical stereotypes, Signs nonetheless remains a soothing Pacific album, with the Vaiteani duo reinforcing the region's deserved reputation for calm, innate beauty.