Jane Siberry (now Issa) holds the distinction of being the only artist whose music I’ve ever been able to fall asleep to. Just the once, mind, in 1988. It was either No Borders Here from which this song comes, or more probably the subsequent album The Speckless Sky. (There was another occasion the same year when I almost fell asleep whilst listening to Anita Lane’s Dirty Sings EP. Really.)

Mimi on the Beach always thrills me and disturbs me. On the surface it’s a shiny tale of teens in summer with lush choruses and beautiful music. Underneath however is something darker, highlighting Jane Siberry’s observational storytelling – matched with two pacy spoken word segments. Firstly the girl who uses men to get drinks, then the events that lead up to that abandoned floating parasol.

Issa
Sheeba – Jane Siberry’s online store