8/10

Over the last few years, LA's Eric Cannata has established himself as one of the more alluring names on the rise. Taking his cues from the likes of Roy Orbison, Harry Nilsson, and Lou Reed in creating this beautifully sombre aura, his tenure to date has been filled with warm and emotive offerings, all looking to build on what has come before. And with plenty of innovation and self-discovery under his belt, he is now looking to cement his dynamic legacy to date with the release of his eagerly-awaited debut album 'Holding Onto The Holy', a record that shines with immaculate power throughout.

Featuring the previously shared gems 'Like You Do', 'Fruit', 'The Wave' and its uplifting opener 'There You Go Again', this new ten-track collection makes for a wonderfully absorbing listen from the very start. Capturing these soft and soulful textures as often as possible, heightened by his projective vocal performance, 'Holding Onto The Holy' has this truly captivating presence that pulls you in and rarely lets you go. Whether he is swooning us with tracks like 'It's You' or taking on a more uplifting direction with its riveting title-track, Eric Cannata is pushing the boundaries of his aesthetic as far as they will go with this one.

While plenty has already been said about his progressive pursuits over the years, 'Holding Onto The Holy' proves there is still plenty of inventive spirit coursing through him right now. Brimming with this confident approach to both his songwriting and production, he is certainly one to keep a firm eye on for the months ahead as well.