JANIS IAN

The dynamics are overwhelming and the timing is impeccable.

Janis Ian (b. 1951) produced a constant stream of albums throughout the 1960s and 1970s, culminating with Between the Lines (1975) and Night Rains (1979). The former album included At Seventeen, which has become Ian's signature tune. The second album included Fly Too High, which was a huge international success and a number-one hit in the US and Europe.

Track: Breaking Silence
Album: Breaking Silence (1993)
Label: Morgan Creek
Appears on: DALI CD Vol. 2


Breaking Silence
In 1993, Janis Ian released Breaking Silence. It became an instant hit among Hi-Fi enthusiasts, because of the minimalistic production techniques. It was recorded, mixed and mastered entirely on state-of-the-art analogue tape, with no noise reduction, and no vocal limiters, artificial instruments or digital reverb. Carefully selected microphones, pre-amps and cables also added to this audiophile recording. The result speaks for itself.

Dynamics and contrast
The title track included on this DALI compilation starts with Ian's vocal intro, after which the band drops in full force. The dynamics are overwhelming and the timing is impeccable. Throughout the song, these elements remain the key features of the recording.

Though not the loudest song on this compilation (and that's an understatement), it's by far one of the most dynamic, offering memorable moments of contrast. Although no vocal compression was used, the whole track makes a very aggressive impression, while leaving plenty of room for subtle detail.

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