CD Reviews are listed in chronological order (latest first)...

"....Into the Woods is beautiful, brave, and special, and hopefully just the entrée. Bring on the main course Geppetto; I’m still hungry."

When I heard Jake Diefenbach and Emma Dean had teamed up for a new act called Geppetto, I was thrilled. These musicians were behind two of the most creative and exciting releases I’d heard in recent years, and I was excited by the marriage of their creative talents.

Into the Woods delivers everything that I hoped it would. Emma and Jake are the perfect pair, with vocals that blend beautifully, and a shared sense of theatricality that’s only heightened in their collaborative work. It feels like the score for some modern, off-Broadway show. To suggest these songs wouldn’t find themselves in the mainstream theatres of New York is no criticism. There are classical elements there, but the electro beats and other contemporary influences would probably turn off the Big Apple’s more conservative theatre goers. Instead I imagine this music gaining a cult following amongst hip young things.

Into the Woods bolts out of the gate with two big showstoppers: the title track and “This is Where the Trouble Starts.” The poignant and tender “Forged in Flames” which follows allows us to catch our breath. It marks a turning point in the EP, as the remaining songs are also in a gentler vein. These delicate numbers are exquisite, and show yet another side of this dynamic duo.

The only problem with Into the Woods is that it seems too big for an EP. I’m left wanting so much more than this short form can possibly provide. I like to think of it as a teaser for a full-length work, rather than a completed project. Into the Woods is beautiful, brave, and special, and hopefully just the entrée. Bring on the main course Geppetto; I’m still hungry.

link to online review (accessible as at 31Oct12)

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Q News, Issue 309, 5 October 2012
Reviewer: Tim Spencer

....A very fresh, educating, talented album that I encourage all to discover and judge.

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tsunami mag (http://www.tsunamimag.com), 16 September 2012
Reviewer: Daniel Meagher

"....It’s an electronic fairytale with Diefenbach’s piano solos and Dean’s immaculate vibrato the driving forces of Into the Woods...."

Following playing six dates at the New York Fringe Festival, a spate of Australian shows and the EP’s release in early October, the duo consisting of Emma Dean and Jake Diefenbach are making the most of the six months they’ve been together. Launching into the EP with the title track, Dean immediately showcases her vocal range in an a Capella intro, followed by a musical styling typical of Digital Daggers. An almost sinister theme comes from a borderline electronic feel evoked through moog synthesisers.

The second track, ‘This is Where the Trouble Starts’, was the duo’s first official single in July. It sounds like the soundtrack for a twisted fairytale. Diefenbach steps out from behind the piano and, though vocally weaker than Dean, the song and Diefenbach are kind to each other, resulting in perfect complementation. With a fast and almost choppy structure, the song is incredibly playful and sees the audience feel like they could be running from the big bad wolf before a captivating piano solo takes control before fading out.

‘Forged in Flames’ follows with Dean’s vocals sounding somewhat like Missy Higgins. The music could easily be coming from a little girl’s jewellery box. The piece as an entirety feels rather under-produced compared to its sister tracks. However, the vocal duets between the pair are lovely, it just lacks the pizzazz the rest of the EP has.

‘Is Anybody Out There?’ sounds like a ballet recital. Piano heavy, the vocals are simple and enjoyable. Dean sounds like an amateur version of Sarah Brightman; which, considering Brightman’s incredible range, style and resulting success, is a compliment.

‘Won this Game Before’ is by far the most lyrically flawless and possesses an incredible elegance. Dean’s vocals, which varies throughout the EP, sound more like Mel C mixed with KT Tunstall. It’s an electronic fairytale with Diefenbach’s piano solos and Dean’s immaculate vibrato the driving forces of Into the Woods.

link to review site (accessible as at 3Oct12)

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