Mature beyond her years, musically and lyrically, Abigail Knudson is evidence that youth is not always wasted on the young. Singer/songwriter really doesn’t cut it, Abigail is a musician and composer – an evident talent for whom inevitable Lorde comparisons seems reasonable. Loosely keyboard/electronic pop backings are brought to life with more prosaic lyrics, decorated by her own cello and father’s violin, but mostly her effortlessly versatile vocals. The title track provides a fine example, a dirty word for some, she gives it a wonderful and seductive timbre in the repetitive chorus. The atmospheric Missy and Ever Since might evince tears. With a classical ambience reminiscent of Kate Bush, Abigail’s warm and enveloping voice can turn to sharp cut through in a beat, turning music to magic. Her vocal and emotive range is quite stunning, and pleasingly there’s no evidence of overplaying her hand in his regard. It seems impossible that ‘Nicotine’ was self-produced and recorded in a bedroom of her Dunedin home. Even if from a name producer/studio this would be judged as being absolutely stunning.