Eliza Carthy comes from a lineage of folksters who followed in the groove of her parents at the age of 13 when she started singing with her mother and her aunt in the group the Waterdaughters.

Her style is unequivocally folk, but Eliza has played with the form to create something that is unique to her. There are strains of European folk with instruments such as the accordion and the melodeon, which give the album a more diverse and layered feel. 

Dreams of Breathing Underwater is what happens when folk meets cabaret. The songs have a showiness and quirkiness that are invocative of basques rather than smocks.

Six years in the making, it's an accomplished piece of work - intelligent and playful, with moments of serene beauty. Her voice is a dominant instrument that leaves no room for argument. It's a bit like someone hoovering on a Sunday morning when you just want to lie in bed - it's insistent and you can't escape it (Jaqueline Wild).

Recommended track:

Track 5 - 'Mr Magnifico'

Interview with Eliza Carthy and the making of Dreams of Breathing Underwater:

Links:
http://www.eliza-carthy.com/

http://www.myspace.com/elizacarthy