An EP release from Emily Sophia brings out a soiree of different songwriting approaches and rolls them all up into one record that ends up being riddled with character and honesty, so you end up getting attached to that right from the get-go and as the record unfolds, you get these vibrant and personal approaches and styles that come through colorful and genuine.
The Golden State EP has a lush and full-bodied soundscape and combines elements of Americana, singer-songwriter, pop, dance-pop, and so much more so it's endlessly fun and has more than a few surprises around the corners especially for a record that's five tracks in length.
I would actually say it's a little bit more disco than dance-pop and she does have a wonderful way of nailing a classic disco aesthetic at times.
No matter what the style or subgenre of song you're listening to on this record you are always getting these sorts of robust but dynamically soft and subtle vocal approaches that have beautiful ways of harmonizing to the point where they sound like they're just being used as instruments themselves.
This is an aspect that I adore most of all on the record because it's her voice and the way that she performs that gets you wrapped up in the soundscape and eventually washed away with it as well.
You can certainly tell that a lot of these songs came from someplace real and in a strange way may serve as a certain kind of chapter in her life and this is something that draws you in and also adds to that robust character that the record delivers as I mentioned earlier.
When you listen to this record and how she performs vocally, you get the feeling that she was the kind of kid that harmonized with songs on the radio when she was very young and now, she's just letting loose.
There's a beautiful vibrancy and gusto that you hear a lot of times on the release and by the time you get through it all you feel like you not only know Emily better as a person, but that you got pulled away into someone else's life for a chunk of time and when that happens you forget about your own reality for a little bit.
You have to love a record that does that.
The energy of the performances throughout the EP is key and she's able to sort of morph into the vibe of the song super easily and believe me, the record is pretty eclectic if you ask me.
You can know this is someone who has a real love for her craft which of course is the craft of songwriting and when she's recording or at the studio, that's when she's in her zone or her happy place just blocked away from the rest of the world free to create what she wants.
This is a great example of an artist that releases music with far fewer boundaries than you are used to and that to me is a exceptional attribute for any artist because not only are you not putting walls up around you, but you're not confining yourself to a certain style, approach, or social acceptance.
This was a beautifully woven release that showed a lot of honesty, charisma, and presence for her artistry and what she does so she gave a lot of herself to this release into the world.
Plus, it was incredibly fun and addictive. These songs are infectious, to say the least and I would suggest listening to the whole EP from start to finish as opposed to just one or two songs because if you only listen to a few tracks, you're not getting the full experience or range of what this EP offers up.
Check this record out as soon as you can and see how it affects you.