THE BEST moments in a music lover's life are those times when you come across an album totally unexpected, appeared out of the blue, and understand that it will be your road companion for a very long time. I am lucky enough to have had such heavenly surprises a couple of times: Prefab Sprout a long time ago, Elysian Fields and Calexico more recently. It seems that Eszter Balint's debut album 'Flicker' is about to join the list of my favourite musical treats.

The good thing about 'Flicker' is that it is probably the last thing you would expect from Eszter Balint, given what we know of her story and background. She herself claims that she plays folk and country music because this is the only music she didn't have access to at home during her childhood and teenage years. A healthy attitude and a very cunning way to escape that "arty" label which seems to stick to her. This is partly because of the clichés often associated with New York underground artists but also because she is most famous for acting in a Jim Jarmusch film, Stranger Than Paradise. And because she grew up in the theatre circles and was a teenage DJ and a precocious music fan. But when you listen to 'Flicker', the story doesn't seem to matter anymore. There's just the music and the voice. Which is basically all we need.

And to destroy the last cliché of all, the "arty New York music" stuff, just put 'Flicker' into your CD player, close your eyes and try hard to imagine the Big Apple and its buildings. Next thing you know, you'll find yourself dreaming of the South. There is practically nothing in there to remind you of New York - except maybe a vague Velvet Underground flavour once in a while, with the wonderful 'Still' awakening the ghost of 'Venus In Furs'. But this may be unconscious and probably just a coincidence. This is not urban music at all. It's amazing how someone who grew up in the big city can play real bumpkin music so naturally, in such a delightful way. Anyone who knows Sixteen Horsepower's songs called 'Red Neck Reel' and 'Hang My Teeth On Your Door' will have an idea of what 'Dirt On Your Heel' sounds like. Only 'Dirt On Your Heel' (one of the album's most catchy numbers) has a more playful and ironic dimension.

'Flicker' is a record inhabited by a wide range of feelings, characters and stories. This is due mainly to Eszter Balint's voice, a pretty good voice with a deep and rich timbre, a voice that can be harsh or sweet when necessary. She has a personal way of playing with words, giving them a brand new sound or meaning. Like in 'Halfway To Texas', the way she boldly claims "Don't want club soda, I want a real drink" and suddenly turns sullen to add: "What will my mother think?". The song also has a wonderful guitar sound, the kind of lazy sound which can usually be obtained only after hours spent in the damp Southern heat (think of Mazzy Star or Tarnation).

The only thing as impressive as the richness of her voice is the work on the arrangements, the way they create a background almost visual. Background is really the word: the instruments are there mostly to back the voice, like a movie soundtrack. Or to reveal feelings hidden behind the surface, like the fear and threat awakened by the weird, asymmetrical structure of 'Motherbear'. Sometimes the voice doesn't need them at all - even a cappella, 'Almost Gone' would remain as sweet as a lullaby. But when the music tries to take over, when banjo and violin meet electric guitars to underline catchy melodies and strange lyrics, then Eszter Balint and her team give birth to little gems such as 'Tattoo Sun' (a potential hit), 'Cheeseman' or 'Dirt On Your Heel'. Then you find yourself wondering why the press paid so little attention to this record. But who knows, this is the kind of record which takes its time. When all the current best-sellers will be gathering dust in your cellars, there will still be people who discover 'Flicker' and adopt it as their faithful companion. There are so many of them who are bound to love 'Flicker' and who don't even know it yet - let's just hope that they won't wait too long.
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Read an interview with Eszter Balint here.